When Opposition Comes

If you want to achieve your future plans you need are right now. Plan one that includes a strategy for dealing with the challenges life is sure to bring just a few moments, Pastor Paul Sheppard shares is destine for victory message when opposition comes, but first he joins us from a studio pastor if there's been one thing that is been certain over the past many months it's been the uncertainty of these times is one of the reasons we want to encourage everyone to have this months offer a booklet you've titled trusting God and scary times. Tell us about this great resource and how what God did in Abraham's life can be an encouragement to us.

It started with me thinking personally about what was it a light to be Abraham having to send your wife Hagar and your's firstborn son Ishmael away from the family home. You know that had to be awfully scary. Then I thought about what what would it be like to be Hagar and to be Ishmael and subtly you are put out your home and you're going God knows where to do. God knows what that had to be awfully scary. Frankly sometimes in our lives we hit scary moments they might not be what these people experienced.

But if you've ever been through some tough times in my grandmamma what is it, if you haven't yet keep on living because it's gonna happen is going to happen right and the result is you're gonna wonder Lord, how in the world am I going to get through this.

Whatever your this is so I wrote this some this part of the series and I wrote this booklet with the desire and the hope and prayer that God would help people understand that he is available to us, even in scary moments.

His faithfulness is certain, and although it doesn't feel very good. The Lord has promised that he is going to finish the good work he began enough so I pray that those who receive this booklet, which they can have at their request this month as they donate. I pray that it will be a real blessing and it will help them through the scariest moments in their lives. Yes, the word of God tells us in second Timothy one verse seven that the Lord is not given us a spirit of fear of love of power and of a sound mind.

Again, this booklet is called trusting God and scary times is our gift to you this month by request for your generous donation to destine for victory. Call 855-339-5500 or visit Pastor Paul.net to make a safe and secure donation online. You can also mail your gift to destine for victory PO Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538. Again, our address is destine for victory PO Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538. There are things that tend to position themselves between the right now and the destiny. We plan to arrive at and I want to talk to that issue, especially because sometimes our opposition can be fierce can be foreboding the things that come up against us. If you're not careful can cause you to live in fear faith in Christ doesn't remove all obstacles.

It equips you to handle coming your way next on today's destine for victory. Pastor Paul Sheppard reminds us that fear often makes us her own worst enemy. Life will be filled with opposing forces without us allowing her own fear to become one of this message. When opposition comes is Pastor Paul. Psalm 27 and it is the time I'll just quote verse one for now some of you know what the Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear the Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid in this series where we been talking about fearless living.

I want to talk today about those things that position themselves between where we are and where we want to go. There are things that tend to position themselves between the right now and the destiny.

We plan to arrive at and I want to talk to that issue, especially because sometimes our opposition can be fierce can be foreboding the things that come against us.

If you're not careful can cause you to live in fear. In fact, if you'll be honest with yourself. Some of us would have to say you know there are things that I should've done by now. But I've allowed her to grip me to the place where I never did enroll in that school. I never did launch that career. I never did establish that business.

I never did take the next steps.

I have something in my heart that I have not acted on and when I think about it. I have been afraid well in this fearless series. I want to make sure that we get rid of all fear because God is not given us the spirit of timidity or fear he's given us a spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind and whatever you want to get done for God, whatever you want to get done to improve your life and the life of your family and loved ones whatever you want to do that is a God glorifying step to take. I want to encourage you, now is the time to move out and don't let fear stand in your way.

So I'm entitled of this part of this series when opposition comes first thing I want to do. I want to establish the three points and I'll be done with you in this message the first point is you are called according to God's purpose.

Therefore, you will face opposition is the first thing I need you to know because sometimes people act like they are surprised when opposition shows up not you were somebody on your role is shocked when they find opposition because a lot of people are like when somebody opposes this is this is a good thing. I want to do.

Why would people come against that. I need you to know right now at the beginning of this message, you need to quit shocked when come against you when circumstances come against you when enemies rise up against you when people who don't hardly know you suddenly show up to stand against you express that sometimes opposition comes from people you know well. Another point, but you times I've been up all by phone and you seem like when you come from.

One matter in all you and why are you asserting yourself into something that really isn't show me you need to see to see that way in. Because you have something that you want to do for God. You want to do that God has put in your heart and show up to oppose you. I just want to make sure you know you called according to God's purpose. That's why going to have opposition another word you got this to the fact that your billing God's purpose means the soul is dead set against you fulfilling that purpose. This is a spiritual fight at the end of the day. Please remember what Paul said in Ephesians 6 that would not give flesh and blood against principalities and powers of darkness spiritual wickedness in high places and spiritual fight and often come through people but it is a spiritual fight. Just because you can call it a name, and you know to address the mean is not spiritual. The enemy knows how to use any good at it and use Christians who are prayerful. All I just have some amount opposition have come from focal name. The name of the Lord Christ you ask them if you like is almost there Colleen to come against me there, when the thinking and coming to terms rather than spiritual terms, and I want you to know opposition comes directly to you because you called according the purpose and the enemy of your soul is dead set against you fulfilling that purpose. What you never hear well done good and faithful servant. He wants you to quit. He wants you to give up and therefore you need to know nothing has gone wrong. Please remember what the Bible says Jesus said in John 16 verse 33 this world you shall have tribulation, he said, but be of good cheer live because I have overcome the world and that's where you don't have opposition you're going to have tribulation stuff going to go. But poor theology when some say when Jesus always above and never underneath it all the about a quote from another company and you need to understand Jesus himself said so you always will be above you will be under me. But God will get you above. If you will walk by faith and not by sight and finally get you where you're going, you would go to the Valley.

He just said I will bring you out of the valley and take it to a prepare place in this world you're going to have tribulation stop thinking something is going wrong when in fact come to know when the opposition come against me.I know I'm close to some good just decided you would be messing with me.

You mess with me as much as you are about to happen that you're trying to circumvent and so income is now like some good. When want to leave income another one stage left weight into your life and they want to come in and and read habit, but you have got to be less and you got to say the Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear the Lord is the strength of my life so I'm not gonna be afraid you got it shows not walk in fear. Jesus said you don't have tribulation. Paul picked it up in second Timothy 312 reset all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. If you desire to live godly in Christ you're going to be persecuted. Now we live in a country where we have religious freedom to an extent. And so you got understand without suffering in the same way that many of our brothers and sisters around other parts of the world of suffering are people in jail right now all they did was went to church there are countries because it's forbidden to gather to worship and are in jail. Pastors are in jail sentences and all they did was convene God's people, and I want to tell you we need to salute their faith by making sure it can stand for Christ in the midst of that type of severe persecution here in America and other countries that are listening to this message.

We can certainly take a stand for Jesus and don't worry about the persecution you will persecute me because I'm saying that that's good. That's the metal of honor. As far as I'm concerned, if all you have to fight me with is that the Lord wants me to do and you don't like it, I take that as a compliment go away were only about halfway through today's testing for Victor message with pastor Paul Shepherd, senior pastor of destiny Christian Fellowship in Fremont, California subscribe to pastor Paul on YouTube to watch some of his best video clips for more details. Be sure to visit pastor Paul.net that's pastor Paul.net. There you can listen on demand recent messages or find a variety of resources that are online store. Now let's tune into the rest of today's testing for Victor message when opposition comes once again is pastor Paul if you work on a job as part of your job. Christ is telling you years ago friend of mine talked about someone who said all my job. They told me the boss said when so-and-so calls, tell them I'm not here.

She said I can do that. What would you tell them you want talk to them but I'm not going to unite here that why because you hear I can do that. I'm a truth teller is listening to me when I talk so y'all gotta get to that place where your faith is real.

The fact of the matter is we all need to have a strong enough resolve to do right where we don't practice situational ethics. Situational ethics is what the pillow was going on at the time and let me see you know at the end of the day I lose my job, glorify God, give my time when a crazy rationale like that, disobeyed God, so I can pay the Bible settle is better than sacrifice, and so what you learn to do is stand strong in your job what you ladies that I can do that. She said I tell you what I see said I'm willing to say he's unavailable not want these. I want to know I'm available that they'll know that I'm here. She said the only way out. If they call.

I will put them on hold just a moment please office and say so and so is calling you want to leave true story. Do you want to leave the truth. She was and after she salt and level of faith, he said you're right. And she didn't lose her job and let me tell you something the matter is, sometimes you might lose your job for standing for right, somebody people want you to do wrong and you're committed to doing right you have to be willing to suffer, but opposition is going to come the word of God from Genesis to Revelation.

Just read anywhere. Just open your Bible, start reading so you can come across an example of somebody who's been right and it cost them some price so my I'm sure you are Sam Ballard and told by who show up just at the clear blue because they here he wants to build some people hate that you want to build.

They don't want you to do anything but be part of their agenda and we are builders of the kingdom of God and the truth of God and so some people just resent that this man want to build and send violent and told by show up on the cause trouble about something they have nothing to do with as he started building. First, they would just ridicule later on they went from ridicule. He said this is starting to really go up and be some we better go talk him out of this and they came to visit you to come against you came from out of town standing outside the wall that you have built in the wall outside the wall.

They said come on down.

We got a meet and we want you know what's in my call down the summer yelled. I learned to call down from where you are to call downtown. That's what you got. Position is going to come your call go in the purpose and stop being surprised when folks show you who they are believe I'm trying to get folks to believe people still in did not know. I don't believe that, yes, believe him there that evil there that agenda is driven believe it and take your stand against it. There was no cakewalk from promise to destiny God gives you a promise or something gold in your heart.

A dream of vision, something he puts a burden, whatever it is it gives you that and between that promise and its I need to understand is going to be all kinds of craziness. Don't be surprised when craziness breaks out because you trying to do something good that's point number one it's going to happen.

You're going to experience opposition number two opposition often comes multiplied. It will be okay if trouble came in single file. This trouble comes in and the rest of trouble have to stay offstage to you deal with that in the next with them long enough to find trouble, likes to bring company when it into your life. So not only do you have people problems. Now you got money problems along with the people who were given me a problem. Real estate problems while you got money problems people problems. Crazy why you got rid of the people problems and money problem parents drama, drama, had your spouse that you stood there and said it would love you through thick and thin till and I think all can break out in your life and it comes in duplicate and triplicate will often show up with company example that I will read it in time, but when you get a chance to look at Joshua Chapter 11 and you will find just what is in the midst of conquering the Canaan and so on.

The earlier chapters. You see him conquests on the east side of Jordan. You also see conquests in the southern region of the promise land so by the time you get to John 411. He has conquered the southern region and regions east of the Jordan and Doug Kings all the territories on the northern side of the promised land of Canaan.

They said we heard about what these. Down south and over on the side of Jordan and they got together when you look at Joshua Chapter 11 about your kings got together like each other but they said let's we band together all be wiped out, and so they got together several things there just were 11 and said we want to see happen here in the North what happened in the south and east of the Jordan and they got together so many of them responded because they had a common interest. Okay, have a common interest to take you out and lay down their differences with each other. I don't know if you had it happen.

If you haven't keep hate you more than each other and get together with each other temporarily to come against you. That's what happened, and the result was a well put together alliance. In fact, the Bible says in verse four Joshua 11. It said the people who gathered were like the sand on the seashore and they had many horses and chariots like the when you look out at you KC anything but people and although my guess you that's what Josh was facing, but this message is about not fearing it is about the fact that you're going to have opposition, so don't worry about it. Make sure when you see, opposition, multiply it doesn't trigger fear in you and so here's what they did and here's what you need to do. They went to the Lord said, okay, God. You see what's happening here. Also word God speaks up and says the word of the Lord. By this time tomorrow.

They all will be taken care of. God said yeah I see it when opposition comes to get you one thing the Lord himself sees it because are called according to purpose the Lord himself has a vested interest in you winning.

And so the laws by this time tomorrow.

Now I would love to tell all your business message that that's your grave word for right now let me just say if that's a word for you right now you gotta make sure you know that tomorrow is always 24 hours. We've been there or night but joy comes in the morning but you got understand the morning season. Follows the night season in the night season can go for a while had a protracted long night. See all thank you for some honesty. I see my happy my superduper safety blabber. I don't receive that. I believe my trouble going dry up my morning. Bless your heart.

You going to walk in that faith, but taking care of by tomorrow morning. In the terms of the calendar. Just know. Night season can run for one thing around morning. Thanks for being here for today's destined for victory message when opposition comes, be sure to request your copy of Pastor Paul Shepard's booklet trusting God in scary times go to pastor Paul.net. This book is yours for a generous gift to Destin for victory. I'm going through the shadow of that I'm not mad, but I am real estate. I am going through what I'm on the and I came to tell somebody opposition sometimes comes in multiplication but you gotta know that God is going to get you out why because your story can end in defeat. You are a child of God. That's tomorrow.

It pastor Paul Shepard's message when opposition comes, but until then, remember he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion in Christ, you are destined for victory