1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,600 Today we're going to look once again at Romans chapter 8. 2 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:09,600 So if you can join me Romans chapter 8 verse 28 3 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:15,360 and verse 29 familiar verse of scripture. 4 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:17,960 Amen, but with God's help, 5 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:22,720 want to impart a simple message 6 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:24,960 that God has placed in my heart today. 7 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:29,960 And this very well may be the concluding message 8 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:32,000 of this series. 9 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:34,840 So I invite you to continue reading 10 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:35,840 if you have not already, 11 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:37,320 which I'm sure you will have already, 12 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:41,120 but Romans 8 powerful chapter. 13 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:42,960 The word of the Lord says as follows, 14 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:46,400 and we know that all things, 15 00:00:47,480 --> 00:00:48,960 someone say all things, 16 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:53,960 work together for good to those who love God, 17 00:00:55,960 --> 00:01:00,960 to those who are the called according to his purpose. 18 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:04,520 For whom he foreknew, 19 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:09,360 he also predestined to be conformed 20 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:11,840 to the image of his son, 21 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:16,160 that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 22 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:19,720 Now I'm going to read in the Old Testament, 23 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:24,720 book of Genesis chapter 50 and verse 20, 24 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:27,200 just this one verse. 25 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:31,440 With God's help, we can tie these together for you today. 26 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:34,840 But as for you, Joseph says, 27 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:38,840 you men evil against me. 28 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:43,840 Someone say it, but God, 29 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:48,000 but God meant it for good. 30 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:54,120 In order to bring it about as it is this day 31 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:58,000 to save many people alive. 32 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:01,200 I would like to entitle today's message, 33 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:05,280 plot twist, plot twist. 34 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:06,680 Father, we come before you, 35 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:07,520 would you pray with me? 36 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:08,640 Father, we come before you today, 37 00:02:08,640 --> 00:02:10,920 we thank you for the very special way 38 00:02:10,920 --> 00:02:14,280 that you have visited us this afternoon. 39 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:15,280 Thank you for your presence, 40 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:17,280 a sweet spirit that's in this place. 41 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:20,760 And I ask God that for these moments now, 42 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:23,400 as we go into the word that you would speak to us, 43 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:26,440 life transforming words, God, 44 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:29,600 that it would get down into the deepest places 45 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:32,960 of our hearts, our spirits, our lives, God. 46 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:37,720 It cannot be me, it must be the Holy Ghost, Lord, 47 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:39,760 that does this work today. 48 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:42,160 So anoint my lips of clay, 49 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:45,600 put your word in my mouth, in Jesus' name we pray. 50 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:47,440 Everyone say amen. 51 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:49,280 You can be seated. 52 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:51,840 I wanna begin by telling you something we all know, 53 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:55,160 life is unpredictable. 54 00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:59,120 Just when you think you have it all figured out, 55 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:05,360 life will eventually throw you a curve ball. 56 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:10,360 It's full of unexpected things that can seem to go 57 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:15,360 off script and in the world of literature, 58 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:20,360 writers call this moment a plot twist. 59 00:03:21,920 --> 00:03:23,560 Someone say plot twist. 60 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:28,840 Now some twists come as a pleasant surprise 61 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:32,360 and as an unexpected blessing. 62 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:34,320 And we like those types, amen. 63 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:40,480 And others can feel like a gut punch, 64 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:46,440 blindside us and leave us perhaps feeling discouraged, 65 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:48,480 troubled, all kinds of things. 66 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:53,480 But if we really and genuinely believe 67 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:58,480 that Jesus is the author and the finisher of our lives, 68 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:03,320 the author and the finisher of our faith, 69 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:09,440 then we have to accept, we must accept that all things, 70 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:18,400 all plot twists are not, hear me today, just random events, 71 00:04:20,840 --> 00:04:24,680 but things that God himself allows 72 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:28,640 to accomplish his divine purpose. 73 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:34,520 Enter a man by the name of Joseph, 74 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:39,760 or as some might say today, Joseph has just entered the chat. 75 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:45,760 The man who epitomizes Romans 828, 76 00:04:46,840 --> 00:04:51,840 his rise to prominence was anything but a straight line. 77 00:04:51,840 --> 00:04:56,840 Plot twist took him from the pastors of his father 78 00:04:58,280 --> 00:05:03,280 to the pit and then from the pit to Potiphar's penthouse 79 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:07,400 and the penthouse to the prison, 80 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:14,400 the prison to the palace and eventually from the palace 81 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:20,600 to the promised land, his final resting place. 82 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:24,640 And I know that many of us are familiar 83 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:25,880 with the story of Joseph, 84 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:29,400 so I will not go through every detail. 85 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:32,280 We're gonna skip some stuff along the way. 86 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:35,880 But what I want to inject into your faith 87 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:37,800 and to your spirit this afternoon 88 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:41,240 are some of the highlights from Joseph's life 89 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:46,120 and how this man comes to exemplify this very verse 90 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:48,640 that many of us have quoted. 91 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:53,640 No, maybe you've got a little magnet on your refrigerator 92 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:57,360 or a bookmark in your Bible or somewhere, 93 00:05:57,360 --> 00:06:02,360 somewhere Romans 828, that all things, amen, somebody. 94 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:06,280 How many of you ever refer to that verse, amen, 95 00:06:06,280 --> 00:06:09,160 where you just like don't know what God's doing, 96 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:12,520 but you just need a verse to read to kind of reassure you 97 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:15,840 that everything's gonna be all right, amen? 98 00:06:15,840 --> 00:06:19,000 Can I get an amen out there, hallelujah? 99 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:21,720 Amen, this is one of those verses. 100 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:25,040 And what happens is, is that any verse that we repeat 101 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:28,560 and quote often can sometimes get lost, 102 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:30,480 the meaning, the true intent. 103 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:35,920 But I want you to see that through every painful detour, 104 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:40,920 every unforeseen turn of event in Joseph's life, 105 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:45,920 God was weaving a story far greater 106 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:49,360 than he could have ever imagined. 107 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:53,920 And I want to repeat something that we were singing 108 00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:58,000 in one of the worship songs a few moments ago. 109 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:02,240 I wanna repeat this idea that no matter where you are 110 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:05,600 right now in your life, you need to know this, 111 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:09,720 that God is not done writing your story. 112 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:13,040 Someone give God some praise for that right now, hallelujah. 113 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:15,600 I said, God is not done writing your story. 114 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:21,400 And as we were singing that this afternoon, 115 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:25,400 it just registered in my spirit 116 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:29,040 that God is writing a story, amen. 117 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:31,040 I said, he's writing a story. 118 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:36,040 And you're not the hero of the story, just so you know that. 119 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:37,880 Jesus is. 120 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:40,880 But you're a character in the story that God is writing. 121 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:44,240 And you need to know that no matter what 122 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:48,000 or where you are right now in that story, 123 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:52,000 that until Jesus calls you home, 124 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:55,360 the story is not done being written. 125 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:00,040 God's still writing the story. 126 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:03,720 Regardless of how you feel, 127 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:06,480 regardless of what circumstances are in your life, 128 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:10,200 regardless of what circumstances are happening in your life. 129 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:14,640 However, and this is a big however, 130 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:17,800 this is like a capital all caps however, 131 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:24,000 the story, how the story ends also depends on you and I 132 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:30,200 learning the right lessons and then growing from it. 133 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:34,640 So to understand, let me provide for you a basis 134 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:39,400 before we jump into these highlights from Joseph's life 135 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:43,920 to understand the plot twist in his life and your own, 136 00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:47,200 my friend, there are two basic truths 137 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:49,640 that you must understand about God. 138 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:53,600 If we just jump into these applications and they're good, 139 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:56,120 without this foundational truth, 140 00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:58,920 you're gonna miss what God wants you to understand today. 141 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:00,840 Amen, so there's two. 142 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:04,400 Number one is that God is sovereign. 143 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:10,960 You must understand even if you don't comprehend how, 144 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:14,880 you must at least accept on face value today 145 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:19,240 that God is ultimately sovereign. 146 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:25,520 This means that God is in complete control, 147 00:09:25,520 --> 00:09:30,520 which means that all things happen for a reason. 148 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:35,400 Now, even the devil knows this 149 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:39,520 and even the devil himself must ask God. 150 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:43,440 Do you know the devil must ask God for permission 151 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:46,920 before he messes with you? 152 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:49,320 If you don't believe me, just read the book of Job. 153 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:55,440 He doesn't have authorization to ask God 154 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:57,800 for permission to just storm into your life 155 00:09:57,800 --> 00:09:59,800 and do whatever he wants, 156 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:02,000 even though it feels like that sometimes. 157 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:06,280 Do you believe that nothing happens 158 00:10:06,280 --> 00:10:07,880 outside the knowledge of God? 159 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:13,560 Someone say everything. 160 00:10:13,560 --> 00:10:17,240 He's either in control of everything 161 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:19,160 or he's not in control at all. 162 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:24,160 So God is sovereign and nothing happens 163 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:26,680 outside of his knowledge. 164 00:10:26,680 --> 00:10:29,320 I can preach on this all day long, 165 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:31,240 but this is the next thing you need to get 166 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:36,240 into your heart today and that is that God is good. 167 00:10:38,080 --> 00:10:40,760 Someone give God a hand of praise right there, amen. 168 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:44,760 I said, he's good. 169 00:10:44,760 --> 00:10:46,560 Somebody shout, he's good. 170 00:10:46,560 --> 00:10:50,000 Somebody shout, he's good. 171 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:52,400 And you must understand that not only is he sovereign, 172 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:53,520 but he's good. 173 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:58,520 His intentions are always for good and for his glory. 174 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:05,360 So you can trust that his character is unchanging 175 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:10,240 even when your situation suggests otherwise, 176 00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:15,240 even when the outcome is not what you wanted, 177 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:21,240 God is sovereign and God is good all the time. 178 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:26,760 And all the time, God is good. 179 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:31,720 He's good whether you feel he's good or not. 180 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:35,160 God, he's still good. 181 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:36,000 Why? 182 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:38,040 Because he's still God. 183 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:41,360 And as long as God is God, God is good. 184 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:47,840 I know it's not that deep, but it touches my spirit. 185 00:11:49,680 --> 00:11:52,080 Now, if you can digest these truths today, 186 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:56,800 you can understand at least partially, if not completely, 187 00:11:56,800 --> 00:12:01,800 then you can grasp the unconventional ways 188 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:05,040 that God works in our lives. 189 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:08,720 Let's review these ways that God works 190 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:12,040 through the lens of Joseph's life. 191 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:14,640 I want to, if I can, and if I have enough time, 192 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:19,640 point out at least three plot twists we see in his life 193 00:12:19,960 --> 00:12:22,720 and how it might relate to where you're at in your faith 194 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:24,720 and your walk with the Lord today. 195 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:29,720 And the first plot twist is that your breaking point 196 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:33,000 is God's starting point. 197 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:38,000 Amen. 198 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:44,920 Genesis 37, 24, then they took him, Joseph, 199 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:47,560 and cast him into a pit. 200 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:53,280 And the pit was empty, there was no water in it. 201 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:57,680 Joseph's true starting point, 202 00:12:57,680 --> 00:13:02,680 what truly set off the chain of events in his life, 203 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:07,000 which would ultimately lead to his destiny of being 204 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:09,800 in that position of prominence in Egypt, 205 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:13,600 all the way back, it starts right here. 206 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:19,440 Joseph's true starting point was not so much 207 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:24,440 when his father adorned him with a coat of many colors. 208 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:29,440 If anything, all that did was paint a big red target 209 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:32,440 on his back. 210 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:34,240 That's all that coat did. 211 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:39,200 All that coat did was make him public enemy number one 212 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:40,360 among his brethren. 213 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:44,800 All that coat did was get him betrayed. 214 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:47,400 Everybody wants a coat of many colors, 215 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:52,400 but no one really wants to go through. 216 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:56,160 But no one really wants to go through the process 217 00:13:56,160 --> 00:13:59,880 of having that coat stripped or having life 218 00:13:59,880 --> 00:14:02,840 take you through things where you might feel 219 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:06,920 what Joseph felt, sold by his brethren. 220 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:09,120 See, here's the thing about the favor of God 221 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:13,040 that we have to correct in our line of thought today, 222 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:14,960 that some people think the favor of the Lord 223 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:17,360 is just good fortune. 224 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:21,600 I heard someone once say that they were favored of God. 225 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:22,760 You know why? 226 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:26,920 Because they got a parking spot right up close to Starbucks. 227 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:30,440 I said, brother, that's not the favor. 228 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:31,600 You just lucked out. 229 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:36,800 The favor of the Lord is when the freeway is open. 230 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:41,720 There's nobody there to test your spirit. 231 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:44,320 That's not the favor of God. 232 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:47,400 Because the real favor of the Lord 233 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:51,680 will find you in hot water sometimes. 234 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:54,960 The real favor, real favor is the grace. 235 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:58,120 This is what favor is, the grace to survive 236 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:00,120 what others could not. 237 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:07,240 Real favor is when you're broken, but still standing. 238 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:10,640 Real favor is not when everything is going right 239 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:14,080 in your life, it's when everything could be going wrong 240 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:18,080 in your life, and yet you still got a praise in your heart. 241 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:21,440 And yet you still, hallelujah somebody, 242 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:24,840 you're still believing that God is working on your behalf. 243 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:27,880 You're still standing, amen somebody. 244 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:30,600 That is what real favor looks like. 245 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:34,400 Real favor doesn't just say good things. 246 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:38,640 It says all things. 247 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:43,640 And the pit, someone say the pit. 248 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:49,600 You see, you wonder what is the pit? 249 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:50,960 Man, I could just preach on that. 250 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:54,040 The pit, the Bible says was really like a cistern. 251 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:55,520 It used to hold water. 252 00:15:56,960 --> 00:15:59,760 God has some of you in places that used to be filled, 253 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:01,040 but that are now empty. 254 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:04,440 I said that in the Holy Ghost 255 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:06,480 because it wasn't in my notes. 256 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:08,080 God has you in a place like, 257 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:09,920 we think a pit like it was a ditch somewhere 258 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:11,080 where they would just throw garbage. 259 00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:15,760 No, it was a cistern that held water in it, 260 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:17,520 and it was empty. 261 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:20,760 Pit is not some lonely, dark, desolate place. 262 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:21,680 That's not a pit. 263 00:16:21,680 --> 00:16:25,280 A pit is a place that was once full and is now empty. 264 00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:29,840 That is your true starting point. 265 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:32,040 That is your true breaking point. 266 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:34,360 It's not when everything is overflowing. 267 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:37,800 It's when you kind of go back and you dig somewhere 268 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:39,880 that used to have and used to feed you 269 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:42,080 and used to provide and used to supply, 270 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:44,080 and that source has dried up, 271 00:16:44,080 --> 00:16:47,600 and that is the place that God often waits for us to get to 272 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:51,520 so that we can eventually come to our knees in humility 273 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:54,280 and put our pride aside and say, 274 00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:56,440 God, here I am. 275 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:58,880 All that is in me, God, 276 00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:01,800 and I need you to rescue me out of this place. 277 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:04,600 I've come to preach to somebody this afternoon 278 00:17:04,600 --> 00:17:07,920 that maybe you find yourself in a pit, my friend, 279 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:10,200 but don't despise your pit 280 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:12,560 because if that's where God has you, 281 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:15,200 then you ought to do what a pit ought to do. 282 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:17,080 When you're at the bottom of the pit, 283 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:20,160 the only direction that you can look is up, 284 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:23,480 and maybe that's what God is wanting you to do 285 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:24,760 this afternoon. 286 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:25,600 Yeah! 287 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:28,800 That's the blessing of a pit, 288 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:31,200 is that the only direction you can look is up. 289 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:36,200 I look to the hills for with cometh my help, my help. 290 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:38,280 Someone say my help. 291 00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:40,800 My help comes from the Lord. 292 00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:43,440 And so Joseph's in a pit. 293 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:44,760 He's in a pit. 294 00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:47,120 And he's broken. 295 00:17:47,120 --> 00:17:51,680 And he said, why did my dad give me this coat? 296 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:53,880 I'm starting to feel like that coat was more of a curse 297 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:55,000 than a blessing. 298 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:58,000 Because all I am is finding myself here 299 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:00,200 and I don't know what kind of prayers he prayed in that pit. 300 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:02,080 Can I tell you something right now? 301 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:05,640 That it doesn't matter how spiritually, 302 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:07,440 how spiritual you normally are, 303 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:09,240 you may be very, very spiritual, 304 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:12,600 but I guarantee you pray different in a pit. 305 00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:13,440 Yeah! 306 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:14,280 Yeah! 307 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:16,800 You pray different in a pit. 308 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:18,840 You pray different in a pit. 309 00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:20,560 It's just a different kind of prayer. 310 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:21,840 If you don't believe in God, 311 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:23,160 you pray different in a pit. 312 00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:25,120 It's a different kind of prayer. 313 00:18:25,120 --> 00:18:26,200 If you don't believe me, read the prayers 314 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:27,600 and the Psalms of David. 315 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:30,280 I mean, you know, there was some good mountain top prayer. 316 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:31,840 And then there were some other prayers like, 317 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:35,880 my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 318 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:39,160 No matter how close you are to God, 319 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:40,520 you pray different in a pit. 320 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:42,400 And no wonder David could write these words. 321 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:45,440 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, 322 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:47,240 a broken and a contrite heart. 323 00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:51,640 These, oh God, you will not despise. 324 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:53,840 There's something different that happens. 325 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:57,200 And the breaking point is your true starting point. 326 00:18:57,200 --> 00:18:59,000 And because it's so important, 327 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:01,480 if you are resisting God breaking you, 328 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:05,640 then what you are really resisting is a starting point. 329 00:19:05,640 --> 00:19:08,160 Because God's not gonna hit the start button 330 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:10,240 on what he wants to do in your life 331 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:13,280 until you let the pit have its full effect. 332 00:19:13,280 --> 00:19:17,400 And you say, okay, God, enough of trying to do things my way, 333 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:19,880 enough of trying to figure you out, God, 334 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:22,920 enough of trying to pin whatever it is that I can 335 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:24,680 on someone or something. 336 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:27,360 God, I am at your total mercy now. 337 00:19:27,360 --> 00:19:30,200 And if you don't help me out of this situation, God, 338 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:32,080 I'm gonna lose my mind. 339 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:34,800 And if you don't rep God, I don't know what I'm gonna do. 340 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:38,480 And that is a place that God says, now we are talking. 341 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:41,320 Now I can begin to work in you, 342 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:44,240 the things that I've been desiring to work in you. 343 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:47,160 Now I can begin to take you to the places 344 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:49,080 that I've been calling you to go. 345 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:51,440 I've come to encourage somebody here today 346 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:53,920 that God's not done writing your story. 347 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:56,960 And that it's not over just because you're in a pit 348 00:19:56,960 --> 00:19:58,720 and it feels like it's over. 349 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:03,200 I've come to tell you like Paul wrote in 828 of Romans, 350 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:07,080 I know that all things work together. 351 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:11,800 Even this pit is gonna give God glory, even this pit. 352 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:16,160 And so from the pit, Joseph landed from there, 353 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:19,160 skipping over some of the details, the juicy details. 354 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:22,400 He ends up in the house of a man named Potiphar, 355 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:24,640 a rich man who lived in, 356 00:20:24,640 --> 00:20:28,480 what if he lived in downtown San Francisco or in Manhattan 357 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:31,920 would be like a penthouse, the whole floor belonged to him. 358 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:33,560 He probably had two levels. 359 00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:37,360 And just, he was a blessed man. 360 00:20:37,360 --> 00:20:40,720 And Joseph found himself there. 361 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:45,720 He was bought and sold and now he is in Potiphar's house. 362 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:49,120 And there he served. 363 00:20:49,120 --> 00:20:53,520 This is how I know that the pit did not destroy Joseph, 364 00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:56,520 but it actually built character in him 365 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:59,280 because his attitude was of such 366 00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:03,360 that even when he was a slave doing dirty work, 367 00:21:03,360 --> 00:21:05,400 they do, I mean, just doing the work 368 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:07,760 that probably no one else would wanna do, 369 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:10,160 he still found a way to rise to the top. 370 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:12,680 Like they say, the cream rises to the top, right? 371 00:21:12,680 --> 00:21:16,240 So Joseph is there serving and God begins to bless him 372 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:19,200 and he is promoted in Potiphar's house. 373 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:23,280 And then as things are going good for him, 374 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:26,760 he is made in charge of all the affairs of the house. 375 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:29,000 He was falsely accused. 376 00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:32,800 Man, just as things were going good, 377 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:37,760 here comes another, someone say plot twist. 378 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:38,600 Up and down. 379 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:41,880 And that's the plot twist that number two, 380 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:46,880 that ups and downs are training grounds. 381 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:51,160 Up, someone say ups and down. 382 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:54,720 Ups and downs. 383 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:58,600 You're supposed to say it, ups and down. 384 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:02,000 Those are training grounds. 385 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:05,840 The middle part of Joseph's story 386 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:10,320 shows us the power of contrasting pictures. 387 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:15,280 It's really the story of, for those of you who may have read 388 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:18,160 at least the opening paragraph 389 00:22:18,160 --> 00:22:20,120 of Charles Dickens' Tale of Two Cities, 390 00:22:20,120 --> 00:22:22,520 which is a great book by the way, 391 00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:24,880 it was the best of times. 392 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:28,320 It was the worst of times. 393 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:34,360 That's kind of like Joseph's life in this middle part. 394 00:22:34,360 --> 00:22:36,760 It was both the best of times 395 00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:39,920 because his stock was still rising. 396 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:43,760 Because it doesn't matter what man does to you 397 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:46,000 when you're anointed, you're anointed. 398 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:48,320 And when the favor of God's on you, it's on you. 399 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:50,120 So his stock is still rising, 400 00:22:50,120 --> 00:22:55,120 but yet he's also dealing with these adversities, 401 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:57,720 falsely accused, right? 402 00:22:57,720 --> 00:23:00,360 Then he's thrown into prison. 403 00:23:00,360 --> 00:23:03,360 So he's got these contrasting pictures in his life. 404 00:23:03,360 --> 00:23:07,600 The penthouse on one side and the prison on the other. 405 00:23:08,560 --> 00:23:10,320 And they're so close to each other. 406 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:14,720 You know, from one day to the next, 407 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:19,560 he went from the penthouse to the prison. 408 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:20,680 And there he is. 409 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:23,480 But even as he sat in prison, 410 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:26,720 his gift kept functioning. 411 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:29,280 And even as he sat in prison, 412 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:32,600 how do I know that Joseph was learning the right lessons 413 00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:34,800 and growing as a result of all of this stuff 414 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:36,040 that was happening against him? 415 00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:37,800 Because even in there, 416 00:23:37,800 --> 00:23:40,560 the anointing that was on his life was still flowing. 417 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:44,760 Hmm, my God, hallelujah, Jesus. 418 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:46,960 And the same could be said 419 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:49,480 when you're experiencing polar opposites in your life. 420 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:50,880 What do these look like, pastor? 421 00:23:50,880 --> 00:23:51,800 Well, I'm glad you asked 422 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:55,120 because one part of your life could be free, 423 00:23:55,120 --> 00:23:56,680 but another part is in prison. 424 00:23:56,680 --> 00:24:01,680 One week you're up and the next week you're down. 425 00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:05,800 Today they're shouting, Hosanna. 426 00:24:06,920 --> 00:24:10,880 But tomorrow those same people are shouting, crucify. 427 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:14,200 How could this be? 428 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:16,600 How could these polar opposites be so close 429 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:19,680 or happening parallel to each other in my life? 430 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:21,960 But when you consider, my friend today, 431 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:25,000 that all things work together for good, 432 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:27,600 this is what you won't do. 433 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:32,600 You won't spend your days shaking your fist at God, 434 00:24:32,680 --> 00:24:36,680 at man, or at anything else in your life. 435 00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:39,960 Instead, you will see like Joseph 436 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:43,640 that your season of fluctuation 437 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:47,240 is nothing but preparation for what's next 438 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:50,480 on God's timetable in your life. 439 00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:51,320 Hallelujah. 440 00:24:51,320 --> 00:24:56,320 Hallelujah, in your life. 441 00:24:56,840 --> 00:25:00,560 Joseph had every reason to shake his fist at man, 442 00:25:00,560 --> 00:25:04,760 at God, at others, at everything, but instead, 443 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:07,160 ooh, hallelujah, Jesus. 444 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:12,160 He saw what he needed to see was that someone say, 445 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:16,640 all things, all things. 446 00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:19,600 So if you're in the penthouse season 447 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:24,600 and you feel free, blessed be the name of the Lord. 448 00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:29,120 But don't get too comfortable 449 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:34,560 because penthouse seasons don't last forever. 450 00:25:34,560 --> 00:25:36,960 And you're like, but I like the penthouse. 451 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:38,160 This is my destiny. 452 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:39,200 No, it ain't. 453 00:25:41,120 --> 00:25:43,640 I serve a palace, God. 454 00:25:43,640 --> 00:25:47,560 If all you want is the penthouse of life, God bless you. 455 00:25:47,560 --> 00:25:48,680 But there's another level, 456 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:51,080 and I'm not talking about worldly wealth and all that. 457 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:53,080 I'm talking about spiritual wealth. 458 00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:55,880 I'm talking about my treasures are laid up in heaven. 459 00:25:55,880 --> 00:25:59,600 I'm talking about the blessings and the revival 460 00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:03,160 and the promises that God wants to do in my life. 461 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:05,760 So if you're in the penthouse, I don't hate, 462 00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:08,160 I don't wanna rain on your parade today. 463 00:26:08,160 --> 00:26:10,000 I don't wanna be the bearer of bad news, 464 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:12,840 but just know that that's not your final stop. 465 00:26:12,840 --> 00:26:16,560 It's only one step in the process. 466 00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:20,600 But likewise, if you're in the prison season of life, 467 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:24,240 amen, and you feel stuck, 468 00:26:25,360 --> 00:26:28,680 well, blessed be the name of the Lord. 469 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:32,760 Hester, have you lost your mind? 470 00:26:32,760 --> 00:26:34,520 Why are you telling me the blessed to be the name 471 00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:36,200 of the Lord when I'm in prison? 472 00:26:37,120 --> 00:26:39,160 There's a part of my life that's in prison. 473 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:40,080 Why? 474 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:43,360 I'll tell you why, because all things. 475 00:26:43,360 --> 00:26:45,440 Come on, someone say all things. 476 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:48,320 So whatever you do, don't get depressed, 477 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:50,880 don't get bitter, don't get mad, 478 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:54,160 don't let those things corrupt and pollute your spirits 479 00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:56,960 because that's not your final destination. 480 00:26:56,960 --> 00:26:59,720 I wish I had a witness in the house of God today. 481 00:26:59,720 --> 00:27:03,880 That prison is only a stepping stone to where God is. 482 00:27:03,880 --> 00:27:05,240 I don't know if there's anybody 483 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:07,400 that needs to hear this message today, 484 00:27:07,400 --> 00:27:10,400 but the Lord sent me here this afternoon 485 00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:13,760 to encourage somebody and let you know 486 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:18,360 that all things, somebody shout all things. 487 00:27:18,360 --> 00:27:23,360 All things are working together for His divine purpose. 488 00:27:23,560 --> 00:27:27,000 Come on, give God some glory this afternoon. 489 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:29,440 Give Him some praise today. 490 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:32,320 I've come to encourage you this afternoon. 491 00:27:32,320 --> 00:27:35,520 I've come to tell you that whether the Lord gives 492 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:44,520 or takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.