Sleep On

Pastor Joel @ Lakewood Church

God doesn't move every frustration.

Be still and know that He is God.

Do what you can and let God take care of the rest. If God is not changing know that God is allowing it.

Matthew 26

Disciples fell asleep when asked to pray.

You don't need everyone who you think you need.

Quit swimming across an ocean to help someone who won't cross a puddle to help you.

Don't cast your pearl among swine.

Don't hang around people who want to discount you.

Sometimes good people won't be there for you.

Toddlers cry when parents take away their bottle but the toddler has outgrown that bottle and needs to move on. Sometimes we will be uncomfortable when that thing that gave us comfort is taken away.

Some people are like scaffolding.

Some people's part in my story is over.

The problem with depending on people for comfort is that people will change their minds.

I may be in Gethsemanee but I know a resurrection is coming.

You are either feeding your history or your destiny but you can't feed both.

You can't see the new things on the horizon if you are focused on what's behind you.

If you feed your history long enough it will pull you into depression.

Sometimes what we are frustrated about is God keeping us from an even bigger frustration.

Joel tried to open the emergency exit that he thought was a tray table.

2 properties sold out from under Joel.

When your difficulties don't frustrate you anymore then you know that you're ready to be promoted.

A Surge is Coming

Pastor Joel at Lakewood Church

Before the storm surge, the water recedes. When you go through a storm, you feel like you are being pulled back. But just like that storm surge the more you get pulled back the more you will be propelled forward.

It can look permanent but what you can't see is that the opposition is creating the perfect conditions for springing forward.

Pastor John pastored for 40 years then was suddenly taken away and hadn't raised anyone up to take his place. People predicted that Lakewood would not make it...

Surge Protectors: A surge protector is an appliance or device designed to protect electrical devices from voltage spikes

Some of us need to get rid of our surge protectors.

Psalm 46:1

Psalm 112:4

Job was a good man but still lost everything.

We don't always see the good because we get bitter and negative.

It is easy to make a judgement based on one season.

Psalm 30:5

When the water receded they didn't make any changes (move the buoys, change the docks, etc...) in fact they warned people not to stay in the area because they knew that those conditions were temporary.

Job 10:12

Job got double and went on to live a long life.

Job 42:16

Commentaries say that Job's struggle lasted less than a year.

Zechariah 9:12

What you are saying in the storm will determine how you come out of the storm. If you have a poor mouth then you'll have a poor life. In the middle of the storm dare. Be careful what you speak because you are prophesying your future.

Psalm 3:1-3

1 Samuel 30 David was anointed to be king but had been living in exile. They wept and that's ok. God collects our tears.

Psalm 84

1 Samuel 30:6

Oh magnify the Lord with me...

A good person may fall...

1 Samuel 30:8

1 Samuel 30:18

Within 3 days David suffered his greatest defeat followed by his greatest triumph.

When you have a big storm get ready for a big surge.

Victoria's Exhortation

Friend had foot surgery. Therapist asked if her foot was hurting she said no but the therapist pointed out that she was still limping. She was still limping because she didn't want to get hurt again.

If you don't stop limping then you won't be able to walk the way you used to.

Don't allow pain to keep you walking with an emotional limp.

She had formed a stronghold, she had started to believe that she would never walk the way that she used to even though physical evidence didn't support that thinking. That feeling was lie.

God never decreases, he always increases.

It takes courage to break those strongholds. We have to check our responses to make sure they aren't from a place of defense.

After a miscarriage, a lady was scared to celebrate.

You can't allow a bad experience to trick you into thinking that you will have a bad life.

Like football, bruises may be part of the game but I'm on the winning team.

Fear is not of God because He has not given you fear. He's given us Power and a sound mind.

Don't limp when you were designed to run!

John Gray's Exhortation

They will know you by how you treat others.

We fight for each other when others can't fight for themselves.

Sometimes people need to see a sermon more than they need to hear a sermon.