"God wouldn’t let you get into it if He couldn’t
get you out of it."
~ Pastor Joel Osteen
Joke: Minister finished fiery sermon on self-control. He said, "If I had all beer in world – I’d throw in the river!" He said the same of all wine & whiskey. Closing song: Shall we gather at the River.
This is my bible…
Key Scripture: Exodus
14:18
Today I want to talk about how you’re
coming out.
We all face situations that look
permanent.
It’s easy to think “It’ll always be
this way.”
Just because it seems permanent to
us doesn’t mean it’s permanent to God.
God wouldn’t let you get into it if
He couldn’t get you out of it.
Even if you brought it on yourself.
He had the solution before you had
the problem.
God’s saying “It’s temporary.”
You’re coming out of sickness,
debt, loneliness, legal troubles…
It didn’t come to stay; it came to
pass.
God’s already planning your coming
out party.
In Job it says God has set an end
to the difficulty. [Job 28:3]
God is the alpha and omega.
He’s already set an end to the
addiction, sickness, etc.
Thoughts may say “It’s never gonna
change.”
Remind yourself “I won’t always be
lonely.”
God has set an end.
God has promotion and abundance
coming my way.
This child won’t always cause me
heartache.
This addiction, these bad habits
won’t hinder me my whole life.
That’s what happened to a young lady
Joel met.
She had cocaine habit for 14 years.
She did everything in her own
strength to quit but couldn’t.
She wasn’t religious but watched Lakewood on TV.
She started praying in the morning
and acknowledging God.
God I need You.
For months she didn’t see change.
But one morning while praying joy
and peace came over her.
She wept and it cleansed her.
From that moment she lost all desire
for cocaine.
No withdrawals – instant
deliverance.
Joel saw her again and she looked
totally different.
Healthy and smiling.
She came into the end date set by
the Creator of the universe.
There will come a date when God
will say enough is enough.
I didn’t create my child to suffer
but to be free.
God may have allowed it but He
wouldn’t let you get into it if He couldn’t get you out of it.
That end date could be today.
What if you knew that on 8/22 of
this year that was the final day?
You wouldn’t be discouraged.
You’d act like it was going to
happen.
That’s what faith is about –
believing before seeing.
Some may ask if you’re still
dealing with the problem.
Yes I’m still dealing but I’m
coming out.
I’m getting better.
The number of my days God will
fulfill. [Exodus 23:26]
It’s only temporary; I will lend
and not borrow.
I’m still there but I’m coming out.
God is opening doors no man can
shut.
Where you are is not where you’re
staying.
You’re coming out of depression into
joy.
You’re coming out of bad breaks
into the favor of God.
David said though I walk through the valley of the shadow…
[Psalm 23:4]
I’m coming out of this valley.
The valley is temporary.
It’s not your permanent home.
If you let it become permanent in
your thinking it’ll keep you from your destiny.
Don’t think “I’ll always have this
problem.”
Pack up your belongings; the valley
is not your home.
You are not a citizen of the valley.
You are not a citizen of death or
mediocrity.
You may be there for a season but
your day of departure has already been set.
You may be in valley of sickness
right now.
Medical report doesn’t look good.
But your ticket says good health.
Valley of loneliness?
Your ticket says divine connections
are coming.
Valley of disappointment?
Don’t stay discouraged.
Your ticket says beauty for ashes.
What was meant for your harm will
work out for your good.
Zechariah said if you’ll stay in
hope, God will pay you back double.
Friend of Joel recently lost her
father.
She’s in the valley grieving now.
We’re not supposed to stay in the
valley.
Weeping may endure for a night, but
joy comes in the morning. [Psalm
30:5]
Your ticket says new beginnings.
Don’t think you’ve seen your best
days.
Psalm84:6 says passing through the valley of weeping you’ll find pools of
blessing.
God will take your tears and turn
them into pools to refresh you.
In Genesis15, God told Abraham I’m sending your people into a foreign land, where
they will be enslaved.
It’s interesting that God is the
one that sent them into slavery.
That doesn’t sound like a good
deal.
That setback was a setup to do
something greater.
God brought them back with more
than they had before.
God will bring you out with great
substance.
A friend of Joel’s car was stolen.
This was a young man and it was his
first car ever.
He was on his way to school and the
car was gone.
Police couldn’t find car but the
family wasn’t worried.
They kept saying, “God is fighting
for us.”
6 weeks later insurance paid him
for the cost of the car.
His father had a nice high end
sports car.
Friend of father said I want to
give you something.
This man gave his father an expensive
luxury car.
He gave his sports car to his son.
Before stolen car; the young man
had a car payment.
After stolen; he and father had
better cars, no payments!
Psalm 66:12 says we went thru
the fire, thru the floods, but you brought us into abundance.
God is going to do more than you
can ask or think.
God could’ve kept the car from
being stolen.
God wouldn’t have allowed it unless
ultimately it would work for your good.
In Exodus 14 God hardened Pharaoh’s
heart.
God planned it to receive great
glory at Pharaoh’s expense.
God allows certain enemies to come
against you so He can bring you out better off.
When you beat the cancer,
accomplish your dreams…
All will know it was the favor of
God.
He wants to make you an example of
His goodness.
We want to pray God keep me from
all opposition and trouble.
But our character is developed in
the tough times.
And then we get to see the
greatness of God.
You may not be doing anything
wrong; God may just want to show out in your life.
Jesus saw man blind from birth. [John9:1-3]
Nobody sinned; he was born this way
so the glory of God could be seen through him.
That man was a testimony to the
goodness of God.
When council members voted on
whether Compaq center was there, company sued them 2 weeks before vote.
It was a huge powerful company.
It was like David versus Goliath.
Joel read Exodus
14: When I get through with Pharaoh, all of Egypt will know I’m God.
It was God saying, “Joel stay in
faith and when I give you that building all will know it was your God that gave
it to you.”
Many said, “Look at what the Lord
has done.”
Your situation may look bad.
Get ready; you’re a prime candidate
for God to show Himself strong.
You will give Him great glory at
the expense of your enemies.
God caused Pharaoh’s heart to
harden.
That tells me God’s in control of
our enemies.
Saul had to get permission to
persecute the Christians. [Acts9]
He got papers from the high priest
and was on his way to imprison the believers.
As he was traveling a bright light
knocked him off his horse.
At times God gives the enemy
permission to test us.
God can stop the
cancer.
God can end the family trouble.
The Legal situation.
Many years ago Joel was on freeway
in the rain and lost control of his car.
His car was spun around and he was
going the wrong direction on the freeway.
There was an 18 wheeler bearing
down on him.
That truck should’ve run over him.
Enemy had the papers in his hand.
Somehow the truck missed him.
Driver pulled over and looked like
he’d seen a ghost.
Said “Boy you must be living right.”
Said it felt like a big gust of
wind picked up his whole truck and moved him one lane over just in the knick of
time.
What am I saying?
Whatever comes against you – God
can stop it.
The enemy won’t have the last laugh
- you will.
In Psalm
129 David said from youth enemies persecuted me but haven’t been able to
finish me off.
God has the final say.
And He’s saying you’re coming out
better off than you were before.
There’s a little fish called Moses Sole.
Sharks typically would eat this
kind of fish.
All the other fish that size got
eaten.
It has unique defense system.
It releases poisonous toxins that
cause shark’s jaws to freeze.
Fish could swim inside shark’s
mouth and not get bitten.
As child of Most High God put
something on you that won’t let you be defeated.
Isaiah said no weapon formed
against you will ever prosper. [Isaiah54:17]
It may form, but God will stop it.
My enemies cannot finish me off.
God’s fighting your battles.
Shadrach, Meshach, & Adednego
refused to bow down to idol. [Daniel3]
 |
Sometimes God will deliver you from
the fire; other times God will make you fireproof.
It looked like it was over.
The only thing that fire burned was
the cords holding them back.
Didn’t we throw 3 men in here? Why
do I see 4 men and one looks like a Son of God?
When they came out the fire King Nebuchadnezzar
said we’ll all worship their God.
You may feel like you're in the
fire now.
It’s temporary.
You’re coming out better off.
All your family, friends, and
enemies will know you have the favor of God.
The end of the difficulty has
already been set.
It could happen this week.
Get up every morning thanking God.
The tide of the battle is turning.
Plan your coming out party.
Great joy, great victories are in your future in Jesus name.
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