Unrecognizable, Part 3

Make sure you're guarding against despair close to tend to look at all the injustices and all the laws in your life and everybody would entreat you write and you are busy campaigning for things to be fair I want you to know I'd rather have from God and man hello and thanks for joining us for this Friday addition of Destin for victory with pastor Paul Sheppard John Bunyan's book Pilgrim's progress. Christian and his travel companion find themselves trapped in the dungeon of despair a moment of clarity. Krista remembers he has the key to the dungeon door.

The name of the key his promise and he and his friend use it to escape today pastor Paul takes us to the life of Joseph shows how we can overcome despair.

It begins when we focus on God's promises instead of our problems visit Pastor Paul.net to hearing your recent Destin for victory message on demand.

That's Pastor Paul.net and be sure to stay with us after the broadcast.

When Pastor Paul joins me from the studio in California. Now let's listen closely as pastor shares today's Destin for victory message unrecognized. You have things we have to wait to our purpose. There are some things you just can't get involved in because your call. According to God's purpose. There are some people you just can't spend any more time with because you are called according to God's purpose.

Joseph avoided her but she got so angry we saw in the last message that she grab him simply going to bed and when he refused, he had to run his coat so she used against them, her husband came home from work and she said that yours tried to me and here is the plan, but the Lord so blessed to Joseph that rather than have Potiphar kill him. The Lord put it in Potiphar's mind.

The poverty and realize this was God working in him, but the Lord put it in his mind, or put him in jail.

Not just any jail, but the jail where the king's prisoners were God is setting you up at every turn in the road.

Now I want to look before I get off of focus and move in this message to the second area of development. I want to make sure you understand that he had to guard Joseph at the guard, not only against other pitfall in the form of Potiphar's wife had to guard against despair.

Why do I say that because Joseph now finds himself in prison for a crime he did not commit. Sometimes when I think me and all of the most important thing in life is justice I wanted. I beg to differ with you, I came to tell you that in this world. You are not always going to find justice doesn't mean that it is right that injustices take place be right and justice by definition is wrong.

However, it is so much God that he can take you to women situation and still get glory out of it and still take you to the place of your that doesn't mean we have to become passive about injustices. I'm not suggesting you have to practice a form of Christianity that is weak and wimpy when folks are wrong. You can tell and there will when situations are not right and you have some power of influence use it for good. Use it to bring about just as I want to make sure you're clear.

I don't want you to think that the gospel millions that you just let anybody of anything do what they want in your life. Not true where you have the ability use your power. Use your influence to bring about justice not only for yourself but for those around you, but having said that, let me quickly warn you that in this world you're not always going to get what you deserve in this world, people are not always going to act right to think right side right.

It's just the world we live in all kinds of sinful and fleshly influences in T that injustice will remain prominent in life there are racial factors, there are gender factors. There are cultural factors that are social factors that all kinds of reasons why justice isn't always going to be your reality. So you'll find yourself woman hitting the glass ceiling of journalism.

You gotta know that God is over top debt ceiling, and that no matter what you into it says you can't go any farther before you people take you where he wants you to be. I want to tell you minorities that justice for us. Thank God for the striving of people over the centuries, and over the decades have given their lives, shed their blood to make sure you vote you and I could live where we want to live the job we want to thank God for the progress that's been made, but I'm just want to search James justice will always people in different lines make the right amount please never going to happen so we thank God for what the for the strides that have been made. We help educate our brothers and sisters who think everything is good now you know I got friends I have to inform them after I had to give them updates because they don't know what I can understand what the problem, so you know what the problem is, but trust me, there are still problems we run into degrees you have but when I walk in the room.

There will be some people who see me differently than they see you have to learn to do I have to learn to live like a victim learn to use influence and try to get justice where I can, but when I can get it on the hill say to God. You see what's happening.

But that you're going to get me from where I know what you best for me to be and that's why I don't believe him in us being victims all got acquittal described about the man holding you back and the man is doing much power can be prejudiced a man to have his issues but before we have churches we came on out here before us can be stuff about everything that happens and you like that isn't right. At a certain point you gotta say what God when you get through it all, that other, but got so far cry but if there was one was for his crime, trying to call him today. What she did would be sexual harassment on your know how we roll. 21st-century America sexual-harassment according to today's well. But instead of getting in trouble.

She got in trouble and he didn't do anything but turn it down, and he's in jail and guess who let him sit in jail, not for days not four weeks not four months.

Just to let Joseph stay in jail for years. God himself will be right back with more of today's destined for Victor message from Pastor Paul Sheppard, senior pastor, destiny Christian Fellowship in Fremont, California listen to the broadcast on demand@pastorpaul.net that's Pastor Paul.net will find a host of great resources that are online store here is Pastor Paul was arrested today's message unrecognizable.

God is so much God that he doesn't have to set injustice aside, he can work through injustice to bring his purpose to pass, but Johnson had to guard against despair and that's why I want to challenge you.

Before I moved to my next point.

Make sure you're guarding against despair close to tend to look at all the injustices and all the wrongs in your life and everybody would entreat you right now, but is not given you a fair shake and a fair shot. Everything is not going the way it just all to go in your life and you are busy campaigning for things to be fair I want you to know I'd rather have favor from God and fairness from man and Joseph stay focused and said, Lord, I'm not going to get into despair. Michael stay down here and write letters to Johnny Cochran to Johnny Cochran of Egypt has to get me out of here is wrong with this they practice sexual-harassment. That woman got a minute. Then spent time doing that. The Bible says the Lord was with him. That means he practice the presence of God. Every morning he woke up in jail instead of fretting about the bars he said, Lord, I'm trusting you today that you will will will be done in my life and the Lord will soar upon him that you were told that the prison saw God's hand on them, just like a pot of red synagogues and on them and put them all balled all the prisoners bar keeps being promoted everywhere he goes promoted as a slave gets thrown in jail for something to do now is promoted as a prisoner and he's other prisoners. No time for despair. He got some more people to serve got some more work to do.

Let me ask you, have you have you stopped at a certain point I realized that although things are the way you would like them to be still all right. I want somebody to quit all the blues you been doing all right.

Woke up this morning right money. I want all the freedom I want all the opportunities I want God hasn't forsaken me, seeing the righteousness I can see in God seedbed bread need something please forward that my mate is met. Somebody got to talk to yourself.

I'm alright, I'm not gotten into despair like David is so downcast all my soul, some us are busy trying to scream to the world so you spend your time every phone conversation is one big Holly is telling all your relatives all your friends.

Everything is wrong.

Did you wrong this time, Mr. and all the sad pitiful songs and and just singing the blues good morning Hardy is not a praise and worship, so that myth wake up singing about the heart ache… When you realize you still in prison you still injustice. Just realize that but instead of salt. Given that you know you know what they said, believe in you and me daily bread so I can do your will and Joseph did that for years. You got awarded all four years, have you noticed that despair keeps coming back. You got awarded off over and over and over again had a wonderful Tuesday and a miserable Wednesday just the bomb morning supplements when you woke up something that's not without which you despair and this happened try to just envelop you just try to be a big all that jazz wraps itself around you get to feeling sorry for yourself and have us a pity party today yet and already some spirit is trying to get you to have a pity party I told you all know anybody will just come to so that spirit Control, you will give you the guest list go out and get these in so we can have a party and you look at the list missile below. Hassell has a key in their in the first unable to… Go to depressions house. He is depressions. Kiko depressive still in the bed with the covers pulled up go to the present house. Let yourself in, go upstairs get the person out the bed, put them in the van bring them to the party didn't go to the twins house bitterness and anger picked him up to go before I send instructions say but don't put them in the van bring them to the party go to loneliness house. Don't worry about the fact that there is no lights on in their loneliness and mail about himself not going to go to loneliness, put them in the van bring them to the party. Go to fears house instructions say no when you get the fears have to gauge is not going to talk because fear is scared to death. They come into the door so we get the fears house you had to go to the window and say all you want your pity parties all wrongful come to them. Don't start down that road.

Did you sell some praise and worship music and put it on first thing in the morning and feel like yours and that's why you need to worship is exactly what you need to worship God, you need to practice his presence. Joseph then wake up feeling like being in jail errors but he learned the practice the presence of God. You and I have to learn to practice get you so miserable in the presence we all kind of songs that are out there to get Byron Katie's the presence of the Lord is here you in jail. But the presence of the Lord is here spirit of the Lord is here and learn and apply your way through some things that you don't even really fully apply your way through something to do some prayer long enough to get despair about how to hear your way through the rest of it is your way through how you're feeling.

So I needed. I needed to shake off despair and understand this is about trying to get wrongs righted necessarily whatever you can do within your circle of influence.

Do it don't do. Not even an Egyptian campaign going against Potiphar's wife is now something that just not that just are not in our sphere of control. There are some things you can do anything about it except give it to God practice his presence, and do what the Bible says repeatedly wait on the Lord just wait on and that means to serve him by being wolf into his agenda for your life to wait when the Bible says wait on the Lord. It's a word it's a Hebrew word that means to leave speech so all went to God until you don't know where he stops and you start.

I'm just I'm sticking with God he can shake me for anything and I'm going to do his will until he brings me this so Joseph live like that you and I need to live like that and he had no idea what he was being set up for at a certain point Joseph's highest goal was to get out of prison. He had no idea that God's plan for him was way past just getting out of prison and sometimes you and I are going through something and we think it I can only just get to some level that you can see, you have no idea that if you practice the presence of God and do his will, and serve him with excellence and keep despair off of you. God has plans that will blow your mind. Now Joseph's dark season of injustice lasted for years and some of us have got to quit all this thinking God's going always come through tomorrow. I love the tomorrow's and I love the subtleties of God and sometimes that's what happens in your life but don't think God is being less than faithful just because you didn't get a suddenly, that's what we had to be real clear that we walk by faith and not by sight. Sometimes we go to church and somebody will give you a false prophecy that this time next week you will be out what somewhat might be out by next week and some other folk might be deeper than they ever been before. By next week.

And so what you gotta do is go past claim in the quick fix and say Lord I'm going wait on you until you show up and I don't know where you are all the time but you know where I so I will be here serving you. And whenever you're ready. Lord, I'm ready for the thanks so much for being here for pastor Paul Shepard's message unrecognizable. Glad you stopped by.

But before we say so long for the weekend. Pastor Paul joins me from his studio in California best were talking about leadership and whether we consider ourselves a leader or not. There are some key principles that will help us accomplish the goals set before us in God's word tells a little bit about this message and your motivation for sharing it as most of our listeners know with her many length of time. One of my all time favorite Bible characters is Joseph in the Old Testament. I've learned so much from his life and I love sharing those lessons as I preach and teach and in this series unrecognizable. I'm helping people to understand that if we walk with God and allow him to teach us the lessons that the challenges of life can teach us we will become so unrecognizable to people who only remember us when we were immature when we were unspiritual and those sorts of things. Joseph started out spoiled brat. There's just no way around it. The dude was spoiled the dude was walking around with no job. Whatever succulent on just really is pathetic when you see him at the end.

His brothers don't literally don't recognize who is first of all date they assume is probably long dead by now or at least in some foreign country and there they are in Egypt trying to get food and the guy who's making the decision is the very one they sold out and so we're going to learn a lot of lessons about leadership and about life as we just go through this series and take to heart the lessons. The fact is, God loves us like we are. But he loves us way too much to leave us like we are. So he's going to cause us to grow and is going to cause us to mature and when you get to the end of Joseph's experience. You see that he is bilingual.

He is married with two kids were named after the things God's done in his life. All kinds of great things are happening, but the journey wasn't pleasant.

It meant he had to learn he had to grow. He had to mature, so do all of us and I hope people will be blessed and helped as they receive this word. Consider it all joy when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance test. James one versus two and three. A great reminder that some of life's greatest challenges produce some of our greatest spiritual growth. With that in mind.

Pastor Paul is with the booklet that I believe will be of great benefit to you as you navigate your way through the challenges you may be facing. It's called turning your test into a testimony is our gift to you by request for your generous gift to Destin for victory again that's turning your test into a testimony requested today.

When you make a generous donation.

Call 855-339-5500 or visit Pastor Paul.net to make a safe and secure donation online. You can also mail your gift to Destin for victory PO Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538 once again Destin for victory. Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538 countdowns going on in your life in your heart and your mind Down when okay now I see the light at the end now and you create this little timeline when you get to when God has not met your deadline. That's next time a pastor Paul Shepard's message unrecognizable.

Until then, remember he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. In Christ, you are destined for victory