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JOEL: GOD BLESS YOU. IT'S GREAT TO BE WITH YOU TODAY. I HOPE YOU'LL STAY CONNECTED WITH US DURING THE WEEK, THROUGH OUR DAILY PODCAST, OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL, SOCIAL MEDIA. WE'LL KEEP YOU ENCOURAGED AND INSPIRED. I LIKE TO START WITH SOMETHING FUNNY. I HEARD ABOUT THIS POSITIVE FARMER AND THIS NEGATIVE FARMER. WHEN IT WOULD RAIN THE POSITIVE FARMER WOULD SAY, “LORD, THANK YOU FOR WATERING OUR CROPS.” THE NEGATIVE FARMER WOULD SAY, “YEAH, BUT IF IT KEEPS THIS UP, IT'S GOING TO ROT THE ROOTS.” HE WAS ALWAYS SO NEGATIVE. ONE DAY, THEY WENT BIRD HUNTING TOGETHER IN A BOAT. THE POSITIVE FARMER JUST GOT A NEW BIRD DOG. HE WAS SO PROUD OF HIM. HE SHOT A BIRD; IT FELL IN THE WATER. SAID TO THE NEGATIVE FARMER, “WATCH THIS.” THE DOG JUMPED OUT OF THE BOAT, RAN ON TOP OF THE WATER, PICKED UP THE BIRD, RAN BACK ON TOP OF THE WATER, PUT IT IN THE BOAT. HE SAID TO THE NEGATIVE FARMER, “WHAT'D YOU THINK?” THE NEGATIVE FARMER SAID, “I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN IT, THAT DOG CAN'T EVEN SWIM.” SAY IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT. THIS IS MY BIBLE. I AM WHAT IT SAYS I AM. I HAVE WHAT IT SAYS I HAVE. I CAN DO WHAT IT SAYS I CAN DO. TODAY, I WILL BE TAUGHT THE WORD OF GOD. I BOLDLY CONFESS: MY MIND IS ALERT. MY HEART IS RECEPTIVE. I WILL NEVER BE THE SAME IN JESUS' NAME. GOD BLESS YOU. I WANT TO TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT TELL YOURSELF A NEW STORY. WE ALL HAVE A STORY OF HOW WE SEE OURSELVES, HOW WE SEE OUR FUTURE. IT COMES FROM HOW WE WERE RAISED, WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID, OUR SUCCESSES AND FAILURES. FOR SOME PEOPLE THEIR STORY IS NEGATIVE. “I'VE BEEN HURT TOO MUCH; I CAN'T LOVE AGAIN. MY FAMILY IS AT A DISADVANTAGE, I'LL NEVER BE SUCCESSFUL. I HAVE BIG DREAMS, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE TALENT, THE EXPERIENCE.” YOU KNOW WHAT'S STOPPING YOU? YOUR STORY. YOU'RE BEING LIMITED BY WHAT YOU'RE TELLING YOURSELF. WHAT YOU BELIEVE ABOUT YOURSELF, HOW YOU SEE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES, THE STORY THAT YOU'VE WRITTEN WILL OVERRIDE WHAT ANYONE ELSE SAYS. IT'S EVEN MORE POWERFUL THAN THE FACTS. YOU CAN BE INCREDIBLY GIFTED, YOU HAVE A GREAT PERSONALITY, BUT IF YOU TELL YOURSELF THAT YOU'RE AVERAGE, YOU DON'T HAVE MUCH TO OFFER, YOUR GIFTS WON'T COME OUT LIKE THEY SHOULD. IS THE STORY YOU'RE TELLING YOURSELF KEEPING YOU FROM RISING HIGHER. WHY DON'T YOU TELL YOURSELF A NEW STORY? THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, GOD IS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF YOUR FAITH. HE'S THE AUTHOR. PSALM 139 SAYS, “ALL OF YOUR DAYS WERE WRITTEN BEFORE YOU WERE BORN.” GOD HAS ALREADY WRITTEN YOUR STORY. THE KEY IS TO GET YOUR STORY IN LINE WITH HIS STORY. GOD SAYS HIS PLANS FOR YOU ARE FOR GOOD, TO GIVE YOU A FUTURE AND A HOPE. HE CALLS YOU A MASTERPIECE, VALUABLE, VICTORIOUS, AN OVERCOMER. HE SAID, “WHAT WAS MEANT FOR HARM, HE'S TURNING TO YOUR ADVANTAGE.” YOU MAY HAVE BEEN THROUGH BAD BREAKS, THINGS THAT ARE NOT FAIR. THE ENEMY WOULD LOVE TO AUTHOR YOUR STORY. HE WOULD LOVE TO REWRITE WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT YOU. YOU NEED TO TAKE THAT PEN BACK, CROSS OUT ALL THOSE LIES AND TELL YOURSELF A NEW STORY. GOD SAYS HE HAS BEAUTY FOR THOSE ASHES, THAT HE WILL PAY YOU BACK FOR THE WRONGS. YOU WOULDN'T BE ALIVE UNLESS HE HAD SOMETHING AWESOME IN FRONT OF YOU. DON'T LET CIRCUMSTANCES, WHAT DIDN'T WORK OUT, WHAT YOU DON'T THINK YOU HAVE, CONVINCE YOU TO LIVE WITH A WRONG STORY. YOUR STORY IS SETTING THE LIMITS FOR YOUR LIFE. QUIT TELLING YOURSELF THAT YOU'LL NEVER BE SUCCESSFUL, NEVER GET OUT OF DEBT, NEVER MEET THE RIGHT PERSON. TELL YOURSELF A NEW STORY. “I'M MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD. I'M CROWNED WITH FAVOR, I'M A MASTERPIECE, THERE IS GREATNESS IN ME. WHATEVER I TOUCH PROSPERS AND SUCCEEDS, BLESSINGS ARE CHASING ME DOWN, MY LATTER DAYS WILL BE BETTER THAN MY FORMER DAYS.” THAT'S THE STORY GOD HAS WRITTEN ABOUT YOU. IS YOUR STORY CONTRADICTING HIS STORY? HAVE YOU LET PEOPLE, CIRCUMSTANCES, DOUBT, NEGATIVITY, REWRITE YOUR STORY? DON'T LET SOMEONE ELSE BECOME THE AUTHOR. TAKE THAT PEN BACK AND TELL YOURSELF A NEW STORY. WHEN MY FATHER WENT TO BE WITH THE LORD, I KNEW I WAS SUPPOSED TO STEP UP AND PASTOR THE CHURCH. THE PROBLEM WAS THE WRONG STORY WAS PLAYING IN MY MIND. I HAD TOLD MYSELF FOR YEARS THAT I CAN'T GET UP IN FRONT OF PEOPLE. I WAS TOO QUIET, I DIDN'T HAVE THE TRAINING, THE PERSONALITY, I WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. ALL THESE THOUGHTS SAID, “JOEL, LOOK AT YOUR FATHER. HE WAS STRONG, BOLD, OUTGOING. HE HAD A LOT OF EXPERIENCE, NO ONE IS GOING TO LISTEN TO YOU.” I HAD TO DO WHAT I'M ASKING YOU TO DO. I STARTED TELLING MYSELF A NEW STORY. I WENT BACK TO THE ONE WHO HAD WRITTEN MY STORY, THE ONE WHO BREATHED LIFE INTO ME, THE ONE WHO KNEW ME BEFORE I WAS FORMED IN MY MOTHER'S WOMB. I SAID, “GOD, I'M GOING TO LET YOU BE THE AUTHOR OF MY STORY. I'M GOING TO BELIEVE THAT I'M STRONG IN THE LORD AND THE POWER OF YOUR MIGHT. I BELIEVE I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST. THAT I'M EQUIPPED, EMPOWERED AND ANOINTED. LORD, THANK YOU THAT MY GIFTS WILL COME OUT TO THE FULL, THAT YOU'VE RAISED ME UP FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS.” WHEN YOU GET YOUR STORY IN LINE WITH WHAT GOD SAYS, THINGS WILL HAPPEN THAT YOU COULDN'T MAKE HAPPEN. I WOULDN'T BE UP HERE TODAY IF I HAD NOT TOLD MYSELF A NEW STORY, IF I HAD LET THAT FEAR, INTIMIDATION, INSECURITY KEEP PLAYING. DON'T LET THE WRONG STORY KEEP YOU FROM YOUR GREATNESS. “WELL, JOEL, I CAN'T LEAD MY DEPARTMENT, I CAN'T GET UP IN FRONT OF PEOPLE, I'M NOT THAT TALENTED.” WHO TOLD YOU THAT? WHERE DID THAT STORY COME FROM? COULD IT BE THAT A WRONG STORY IS KEEPING YOU FROM RISING HIGHER? “I CAN'T MAKE A'S IN SCHOOL, I'M NOT THAT SMART. ALL I CAN MAKE ARE C'S.” YOU HAVE TO REALIZE THE ENEMY HAS TAKEN THAT PEN AND REWROTE YOUR STORY. “I CAN'T BREAK THIS ADDICTION, I'LL NEVER GET OUT OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, I'LL NEVER ACCOMPLISH MY DREAM, IT'S TOO LATE.” AS LONG AS YOU BELIEVE THAT STORY, IT'S GOING TO BECOME A REALITY. GOD DIDN'T CREATE YOU TO JUST GET BY, SURVIVE LIFE. HE CREATED YOU TO EXCEL, TO LEAVE YOUR MARK. HE SAID YOU ARE TO REIGN IN LIFE. VICTORY STARTS IN OUR MIND. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, “BE CAREFUL HOW YOU THINK, BECAUSE YOUR THOUGHTS RUN YOUR LIFE.” YOUR STORY IS SETTING THE LIMITS FOR YOUR LIFE. GOD CAME TO MOSES, AFTER HE HAD BEEN LIVING IN THE DESERT FOR FORTY YEARS, AND SAID, “MOSES, GO TELL PHARAOH TO LET MY PEOPLE GO.” MOSES SAID, “GOD, I CAN'T STAND BEFORE PHARAOH, I STUTTER. I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY SPEECH. YOU KNOW I DON'T SPEAK WELL.” GOD SAID. “MOSES, WHO MADE YOUR TONGUE, WHO MADE YOUR MOUTH?” DO YOU THINK GOD WOULD ASK YOU TO DO SOMETHING AND THEN NOT GIVE YOU THE ABILITY TO DO IT? DO YOU THINK HE WOULD CHOOSE YOU TO BE HERE AT THIS TIME IN HISTORY AND NOT GIVE YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO LIVE A VICTORIOUS LIFE, TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES, TO LEAVE YOUR FAMILY BETTER THAN THEY WERE BEFORE? WHAT WAS MOSES' PROBLEM? HE HAD THE WRONG STORY. HE WAS TELLING HIMSELF, “I'M UNQUALIFIED, I'M AT A DISADVANTAGE, I HAVE THESE LIMITATIONS.” THE STORY YOU BELIEVE IS THE STORY THAT'S GOING TO COME TO PASS. WHEN YOU TELL GOD WHAT YOU CAN'T DO, “GOD, I CAN'T GET WELL, YOU SAW THE REPORT. I CAN'T START MY BUSINESS, I'M NOT THAT TALENTED. I CAN'T DO SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT, I COME FROM THE WRONG FAMILY.” GOD SAYS TO YOU WHAT HE SAID TO MOSES, “WHO MADE YOU? WHO WROTE YOUR STORY? WHO GAVE YOU YOUR GIFTS? WHO PICKED OUT YOUR FAMILY? WHO LINED UP YOUR GOOD BREAKS? WHO PLANNED OUT YOUR DAYS?” THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE, THE GOD WHO SPOKE WORLDS INTO EXISTENCE, HE'S YOUR AUTHOR. HE'S WRITTEN YOUR STORY. YOU'RE NOT DOING LIFE ON YOUR OWN. GO BACK TO WHAT HE SAYS ABOUT YOU. IT'S INTERESTING AS LITTLE CHILDREN WE START OFF WITH BIG DREAMS. WE'RE GOING TO BE AN ASTRONAUT, AN ARCHITECT, A SCIENTIST, A SINGER. A LITTLE BOY TOLD ME LAST WEEK THAT HE WAS GOING TO DESIGN AIRPLANES. HE KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT AVIONICS. AS A CHILD WE HAVE NO LIMITS. WE BELIEVE WE CAN DO GREAT THINGS. BUT OVER TIME OUR DREAMS START TO GET WATERED DOWN. PEOPLE TELL US WHAT WE CAN'T DO, WE GO THROUGH DISAPPOINTMENTS, THINGS THAT ARE NOT FAIR, LIFE STARTS TO REWRITE OUR STORY. WE LET THE NEGATIVE TAINT HOW WE SEE OURSELVES, WHAT WE'RE CAPABLE OF. WE END UP SETTLING FOR SO MUCH LESS THAN GOD HAS FOR US. PAY ATTENTION TO THE STORY YOU'RE TELLING YOURSELF. GO BACK TO WHAT GOD PUT IN YOUR HEART. HE WANTS YOU TO DREAM AGAIN, TO BELIEVE AGAIN, TO LOVE AGAIN. DON'T LET A WRONG STORY LIMIT YOUR DESTINY. DON'T BELIEVE THAT LIE THAT SAYS, “JUST LIVE WITH THE SICKNESS, THE DEPRESSION, I'LL NEVER GET WELL. I'LL NEVER GO TO COLLEGE, I'LL NEVER MEET THE RIGHT PERSON, LET ME JUST MAKE IT THROUGH LIFE.” TELL YOURSELF A NEW STORY. YOU CAN STILL ACCOMPLISH YOUR DREAM, YOU CAN STILL GET WELL, STILL MEET SOMEONE AWESOME, STILL GO TO NEW LEVELS. DELETE THAT OLD STORY. GET RID OF THAT LIMITED THINKING. THAT'S WHAT'S STOPPING THE NEW THINGS GOD HAS IN STORE. THIS IS THE MISTAKE THE ISRAELITES MADE. GOD BROUGHT THEM OUT OF SLAVERY, PARTED THE RED SEAS, TOOK THEM TOWARD THE PROMISED LAND. IT WAS A GREAT DAY, THEIR DREAMS WERE COMING TO PASS, THEY WERE FINALLY FREE. BUT THE PROBLEM IS THEY ALWAYS SAW THEMSELVES AS FORMER SLAVES. AT A DISADVANTAGE, “WE'VE BEEN THROUGH TOO MUCH.” EVERY TIME THEY FACED OPPOSITION THEY COMPLAINED, THEY WERE AFRAID. AT THE PROMISED LAND, GOD TOLD THEM HE WOULD GIVE THEM THE VICTORY, BUT THEY SAID, “MOSES, THE PEOPLE ARE TOO BIG. WE DON'T HAVE A CHANCE. LET'S GO BACK TO EGYPT, LET'S GO BACK TO BEING SLAVES.” NOTICE HOW POWERFUL A WRONG STORY IS. AFTER BEING IN SLAVERY, MISTREATED, ABUSED, THEY SAID WE WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT SAME ENVIRONMENT. THEY CAME OUT OF EGYPT, BUT EGYPT NEVER CAME OUT OF THEM. IF YOU DON'T CHANGE THE STORY YOU'RE TELLING YOURSELF, YOU'LL GO BACK TO THINGS THAT DON'T MAKE SENSE. GOD DELIVERED THEM FROM THE PHARAOH, HE BROUGHT WATER OUT OF A ROCK. THEY SAW FIRST-HAND HIS AWESOME POWER. IT SEEMS SO LOGICAL, SO EASY FOR THEM TO SAY, “THIS IS A NEW DAY, GOD HAS DONE GREAT THINGS, WE'RE FREE, LET'S GO INTO THE PROMISED LAND.” INSTEAD, THEY KEPT THAT SLAVE MENTALITY. THE STORY THEY TOLD THEMSELVES WAS, “WE'LL ALWAYS BE DEFEATED. THIS IS OUR LOT IN LIFE.” BUT I LOVE THE FACT THAT THE CHILDREN OF THESE ISRAELITES HAD A DIFFERENT STORY. THEIR ATTITUDE WAS, “WE'VE SEEN THE SUFFERING, BEING MISTREATED, WANDERING THROUGH THE DESERT. THAT MAY BE WHAT OUR PARENTS ACCEPTED, BUT THAT IS NOT OUR STORY. WE ARE GOING INTO THE PROMISED LAND. WE'RE GOING TO EAT THE FRUIT; WE'RE GOING TO LIVE IN HOUSES THAT WE DIDN'T BUILD AND ENJOY THE BLESSINGS GOD HAS IN STORE FOR US.” THEIR PARENTS SAW THEMSELVES AS FORMER SLAVES, THESE CHILDREN SAW THEMSELVES AS SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE MOST HIGH GOD. NOT AT A DISADVANTAGE BUT SURROUNDED BY FAVOR. FORTY YEARS EARLIER, THEIR PARENTS TURNED AROUND FROM THE PROMISED LAND AND WANDERED IN THE DESERT, NOW THESE CHILDREN WENT INTO THAT SAME LAND, DEFEATED THE OPPOSITION AND LIVED THERE IN A PLACE OF ABUNDANCE. THE DIFFERENCE WAS THE STORY THEY TOLD THEMSELVES. THEIR PARENTS COULD HAVE GONE IN. THEY COULD HAVE ENJOYED YEARS OF GOD'S FAVOR, BUT THEY LET THEIR DOUBTS, THEIR FEARS, THEIR OPPOSITION REWRITE THEIR STORY. DON'T DO LIKE THESE PARENTS, DON'T LET A WRONG STORY, WHAT YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH, WHAT LOOKS TOO BIG, WHAT HASN'T HAPPENED, CONVINCE YOU THAT YOU CAN'T DEFEAT YOUR GIANTS, YOU CAN'T ACCOMPLISH YOUR DREAM, YOU CAN'T BE HEALTHY, SUCCESSFUL, FULFILLED. THE ENEMY GOT YOUR PEN. HE'S ALTERING THE STORY GOD WROTE FOR YOU. GET THAT PEN BACK. CROSS OUT ALL THOSE LIES. THIS IS WHAT MY FATHER DID. THE STORY HE WAS TOLD GROWING UP, THE STORY HE SAW MODELED WAS, “WE'RE POOR, WE'LL NEVER DO ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT, THE ODDS ARE AGAINST US.” HIS PARENTS WERE FARMERS, THEY LOST EVERYTHING IN THE GREAT DEPRESSION. THEY WERE DOING THEIR BEST TO SURVIVE. I UNDERSTAND TOUGH TIMES COME; LIFE CAN THROW US CURVES. YOU MAY BE IN POVERTY BUT DON'T EVER LET POVERTY GET IN YOU. DON'T DEVELOP A POOR MINDSET, WHERE ALL YOU BELIEVE FOR IS JUST ENOUGH TO GET BY. DON'T ACCEPT THAT AS YOUR DESTINY. GOD HAS AN ABUNDANT LIFE FOR YOU. HE KNOWS HOW TO MAKE STREAMS IN THE DESERT, HOW TO BRING YOU OUT OF STRUGGLE AND LACK, GIVE YOU A BOUNTIFUL LIFE. BUT MAYBE YOU NEED TO CHANGE THE STORY THAT YOU'RE TELLING YOURSELF. AT SEVENTEEN YEARS OLD, MY FATHER GAVE HIS LIFE TO CHRIST, THE FIRST ONE IN HIS FAMILY. HE HAD NO MONEY. HE HAD TO DROP OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL TO WORK ON THE FARM. NO FUTURE TO SPEAK OF, BUT SOMETHING CAME ALIVE ON THE INSIDE. HE MADE A DECISION AT SEVENTEEN THAT HIS CHILDREN WOULD NEVER BE RAISED IN THE POVERTY AND LACK THAT HE WAS RAISED IN. WHAT HAPPENED, HE STARTED TELLING HIMSELF A NEW STORY. INSTEAD OF, “YOU'RE STUCK IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, YOU'LL NEVER GET AHEAD, NEVER MAKE ANYTHING OUT OF YOUR LIFE.” HIS ATTITUDE WAS, “I'M DESTINED TO DO GREAT THINGS. THE FAVOR OF GOD IS ON MY LIFE, OPENING DOORS NO PERSON CAN SHUT, TAKING ME WHERE I CAN'T GO ON MY OWN.” HE FELT GOD CALLING HIM TO BECOME A MINISTER. HE TOLD HIS PARENTS HE WAS GOING TO LEAVE THE FARM AND GO OUT AND START SPEAKING. THEY SAID, “JOHN, ALL YOU KNOW HOW TO DO IS WORK ON THE FARM. YOU BETTER STAY HERE WITH US. YOU'RE GOING TO GET OUT THERE AND FAIL.” THEY MEANT WELL, BUT YOU CAN'T LET OTHER PEOPLE PUT THEIR STORY ON YOU. DON'T LET THEIR DEFEAT, THEIR NEGATIVITY, THEIR LIMITED VISION KEEP YOU FROM BELIEVING YOU CAN RISE HIGHER. PEOPLE ARE NOT THE AUTHOR OF YOUR STORY, GOD IS. HE CALLED YOU, HE ANOINTED YOU, HE PUT THE DREAMS IN YOU. OTHER PEOPLE MAY NOT UNDERSTAND. THEY MAY TRY TO TALK YOU INTO WATERING DOWN YOUR DREAM. KEEP THE RIGHT STORY PLAYING IN YOUR MIND. MY FATHER LEFT THAT DAY AND THAT STARTED A JOURNEY THAT WAS MORE FULFILLING AND MORE REWARDING THAN HE EVER IMAGINED. HE MINISTERED FOR OVER FIFTY YEARS AND SAW GOD'S FAVOR IN AMAZING WAYS. MAYBE LIKE MY FATHER, THE ENVIRONMENT YOU WERE RAISED IN HAS TAINTED YOUR STORY. THE PEOPLE YOU GREW UP AROUND, WHO YOU'RE WITH NOW, DON'T BELIEVE FOR MUCH, ACCEPT MEDIOCRITY. YOU HAVE TO BE THE ONE TO BREAK OUT OF THE RUT. DON'T LET THAT NEGATIVE STORY LIMIT YOUR LIFE. THAT WAS FINE FOR THEM, BUT THIS IS A NEW DAY. GOD WANTS YOU TO GO FURTHER. HE HAS THINGS IN YOUR FUTURE THAT ARE MUCH GREATER THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE. NOW GET IN AGREEMENT WITH HIM. QUIT TELLING YOURSELF THAT YOU'RE LIMITED, YOU'VE GONE AS FAR AS YOU CAN, YOU'LL ALWAYS STRUGGLE. NO, TELL YOURSELF A NEW STORY. HAVE AN ABUNDANT MENTALITY. “LORD, THANK YOU THAT MY CUP RUNS OVER, THAT I LIVE UNDER THE OPEN WINDOWS OF HEAVEN, THAT YOU TAKE PLEASURE IN PROSPERING ME, THAT I WILL LEAVE AN INHERITANCE TO MY CHILDREN'S CHILDREN.” I READ ABOUT THIS BEAR. HE HAD LIVED IN A TWELVE FOOT BY TWELVE-FOOT CAGE ALL OF HIS LIFE, SINCE HE WAS A LITTLE CUB. DURING THE DAY, HE WOULD PACE BACK AND FORTH, BACK AND FORTH, HOURS AT A TIME. ONE DAY HE WAS DISCOVERED BY THE AUTHORITIES. THEY MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR HIM TO BE TAKEN TO A ZOO. IT WAS A LARGE AREA, WITH BIG POOLS OF WATER, ROCKS TO CLIMB ON, GREEN GRASS EVERYWHERE YOU LOOKED. IT WAS LIKE A DREAM SETTING. THEY TRANSPORTED THE BEAR, OPENED THE CAGE, SO EXCITED, BUT THE BEAR WOULDN'T GET OUT OF THE CAGE. THEY HAD TO PUSH HIM INTO THE GREEN GRASS. THEY THOUGHT EVENTUALLY HE'D TAKE OFF RUNNING, EXPLORING THE NEW SURROUNDINGS, BUT ALL THE BEAR EVER DID WAS WALK IN A TWELVE FOOT SQUARE. HE NEVER WENT TO THE POOLS, NEVER CLIMBED THE ROCKS, NEVER PLAYED WITH THE OTHER BEARS. HE GOT OUT OF THE CAGE BUT THE CAGE NEVER GOT OUT OF HIM. HIS STORY WAS, “I'M STUCK, I'M LIMITED, I CAN'T GO ANY FURTHER.” WHEN THE TRUTH IS HE HAD A WHOLE FIELD TO PLAY IN. THE STORY YOU TELL YOURSELF IS VERY POWERFUL. HOW WE WERE RAISED, WHAT WE SAW MODELED, THE ENVIRONMENT WE'RE IN, CAN CREATE THESE BOUNDARIES IN OUR MIND, WHERE WE ADAPT TO WHAT'S AROUND US. EVEN THOUGH GOD HAS ALL KINDS OF AMAZING THINGS IN STORE, IF YOU TELL YOURSELF THAT YOU'VE REACHED YOUR LIMITS, YOU CAN'T GET WELL, CAN'T ACCOMPLISH A DREAM, LIKE THAT BEAR, YOU'LL MISS THE FULLNESS OF YOUR DESTINY. THE STORY YOU TELL YOURSELF IS THE STORY THAT'S GOING TO COME TO PASS. MY ENCOURAGEMENT IS THE CAGE IS OPEN, GOD HAS A BIG LIFE FOR YOU, FAVOR, OPPORTUNITIES, GREAT RELATIONSHIPS, GET IN AGREEMENT WITH HIM. TELL YOURSELF A NEW STORY. YOU DON'T HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS BELIEVE. IN MARK CHAPTER 5, THERE WAS THIS LADY THAT HAD BEEN SICK FOR TWELVE YEARS. SHE HAD GONE TO THE BEST DOCTORS, SPENT ALL OF HER MONEY BUT NOTHING HAD HELPED. THE STORY SHE WAS TELLING HERSELF WAS, “THIS SICKNESS IS PERMANENT, THERE'S NOTHING ELSE I CAN DO, IT'S JUST BAD LUCK.” SHE CONTINUED TO GO DOWNHILL. BUT ONE DAY SHE HEARD THAT JESUS WAS PASSING THROUGH HER TOWN. DESPITE HOW SHE FELT, DESPITE THE CIRCUMSTANCES, SHE TOLD HERSELF A NEW STORY. SHE SAID, “WHEN I TOUCH THE EDGE OF HIS ROBE I'M GOING TO BE HEALED.” THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, “SHE KEPT SAYING TO HERSELF, I'M GOING TO GET WELL, HEALING IS COMING, THINGS ARE ABOUT TO CHANGE.” SHE DELETED HER OLD STORY AND STARTED TELLING HERSELF A NEW STORY. FAITH BEGAN TO RISE IN HER HEART. AS SHE KEPT SAYING HEALING IS COMING, SHE BEGAN TO MAKE HER WAY THROUGH THE CROWD. WHEN SHE TOUCHED HIS ROBE, INSTANTLY SHE WAS HEALED. LIKE THIS LADY, YOU MAY HAVE A GOOD REASON TO HAVE A NEGATIVE STORY. YOU'RE FACING A CHALLENGE IN YOUR HEALTH, YOUR FINANCES, A RELATIONSHIP. IT'S EASY TO LET DEFEATED THOUGHTS, CAN'T DO IT THOUGHTS, IT'S NEVER GOING WORK OUT THOUGHTS PLAY IN YOUR MIND. THAT'S WHEN YOU HAVE TO DO LIKE HER, DIG DOWN DEEP AND SAY, “NO, I'M DELETING THIS STORY, I WILL BE THE EXCEPTION. I WILL GET WELL, I WILL SEE MY FAMILY RESTORED, I WILL BREAK THIS ADDICTION, I WILL LEND AND NOT BORROW, I WILL ACCOMPLISH MY DREAM.” GIVE GOD SOMETHING TO WORK WITH. YOU CAN'T HAVE AN OLD STORY AND SEE THE NEW THINGS HE WANTS TO DO. MANY TIMES, OUR STORY IS LIMITING US. WHAT WE'RE TELLING OURSELVES. WE'RE LOOKING AT IT IN THE NATURAL, BUT GOD IS SUPERNATURAL. THIS IS WHAT FAITH IS ALL ABOUT. THAT'S WHY GOD SAID TO MOSES, “WHO MADE YOUR TONGUE?” HE WAS SAYING, “MOSES YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT ONLY WITH YOUR ABILITY, DON'T YOU REALIZE I HAVE ALL POWER. I CREATED THE UNIVERSE; NOTHING CAN STOP MY PLAN FROM COMING TO PASS.” GOD HAS ALREADY WRITTEN YOUR STORY. YES, THERE WILL BE UPS AND DOWNS, CHALLENGES AND VICTORIES. BUT THERE'S NOTHING YOU'LL COME UP AGAINST THAT HE DOESN'T ALREADY HAVE A SOLUTION. HE WON'T LET YOU GET IN A PROBLEM THAT HE CAN'T BRING YOU OUT OF. THE KEY IS TO NOT LET THAT WRONG STORY TAKE ROOT. IN DIFFICULT TIMES, WHEN NOTHING IS CHANGING, IT'S TAKING LONGER THAN YOU THOUGHT, IT'S TEMPTING TO GET DISCOURAGED, BITTER, WATER DOWN YOUR DREAMS. YOU HAVE TO KEEP TELLING YOURSELF, “THIS IS NOT PERMANENT. IT DIDN'T COME TO STAY; IT CAME TO PASS. I'M AN OVERCOMER. GOD ALWAYS CAUSES ME TO TRIUMPH. THIS IS NOT GOING TO STOP ME; VICTORY IS HEADED MY WAY. THERE WAS AN EXPERIMENT DONE WITH A HIGH SCHOOL IN CALIFORNIA. THE PRINCIPAL TOLD THREE TEACHERS SINCE THEY WERE THE MOST EFFECTIVE TEACHERS IN THE DISTRICT, THEY HAD THE HIGHEST RATINGS, THEY WERE CHOSEN FOR A NEW PROGRAM. OUT OF THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS, THEY WERE GOING TO TAKE THE TOP NINETY STUDENTS; THE SMARTEST, MOST TALENTED, WITH THE HIGHEST IQ AND PUT THEM IN A CLASS WITH THESE TEACHERS. THEY COULD TEACH THEM AT A FASTER PACE. THE TEACHERS AND THE STUDENTS WERE SO EXCITED, KNOWING THAT THEY WERE THE BRIGHTEST IN THE SCHOOL. AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, THESE THREE CLASSES HAD LEARNED THIRTY PERCENT MORE THAN THE OTHER STUDENTS. THEY WERE THIRTY PERCENT FURTHER ALONG IN MATH, READING AND SCIENCE. IT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS. THE PRINCIPAL THEN INFORMED THE TEACHERS THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE TOP NINETY STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT, THEY HAD SIMPLY RANDOMLY CHOSEN THESE STUDENTS. THE TEACHERS FELT REALLY GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES, THINKING THEY WERE SO SMART, THEY HAD DONE SUCH AN AWESOME JOB. THEN THE PRINCIPAL INFORMED THE TEACHERS THAT THEY WEREN'T THE MOST EFFECTIVE TEACHERS. THEY WERE RANDOMLY CHOSEN OUT OF A HAT. THE POINT IS WHEN YOU TELL YOURSELF A DIFFERENT STORY, WHEN YOU TELL YOURSELF THAT YOU'RE MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD; SMART, TALENTED, FAVORED, WISE, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE NEW LEVELS OF YOUR DESTINY. YOU MAY NOT REALIZE IT, BUT THE ONLY PEOPLE WE ALLOW IN LAKEWOOD, WE HAVE A VERY STRICT POLICY, THE ONLY ONES WE ALLOW ONLINE, ON SIRIUS XM ARE THE SMARTEST, HEALTHIEST, MOST CREATIVE, MOST ATTRACTIVE, MOST GENEROUS, MOST VALUABLE, MOST BLESSED PEOPLE. WE HAVE GREAT CONFIDENCE IN YOU. WE SEE YOU THE WAY GOD SEES YOU. THE ONLY THING THAT'S HOLDING SOME PEOPLE BACK IS THE STORY THEY'RE TELLING THEMSELVES. “I'M NOT THAT TALENTED, I'M NOT AS SMART AS MY COUSIN, I CAN'T RUN A BUSINESS LIKE MY FRIEND, I CAN'T WRITE BOOKS LIKE YOU DO, JOEL.” WHO KNOWS WHAT YOU CAN DO IF YOU'LL START SEEING YOURSELF DIFFERENTLY? I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING FUNNY ABOUT ME. EVER SINCE I STARTED MINISTERING, OVER TWENTY YEARS AGO, EVERY TIME I GET UP TO SPEAK, WHEREVER I GO, I THINK TO MYSELF, “EVERYONE HERE LOVES ME. EVERYONE HERE THINKS I'M GREAT.” I KNOW I'M NAÏVE, I KNOW EVERYONE DOESN'T, BUT THAT'S THE STORY I TELL MYSELF. DO ME A FAVOR, LEAVE ME IN MY IGNORANCE. THAT'S A LOT BETTER THAN GETTING UP INSECURE, INTIMIDATED, “I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GOING TO LIKE ME, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LISTEN TO ME, I HOPE I'M NOT BORING THEM.” THE STORY I TELL MYSELF IS, “JOEL, YOU'RE ANOINTED, YOU'RE FAVORED, YOU'RE BLESSED.” I DON'T SAY THAT ARROGANTLY BUT IN HUMILITY. THE STORY YOU NEED TO TELL YOURSELF IS, “GOD BREATHED HIS LIFE INTO ME. I'M A MASTERPIECE. I HAVE SOMETHING GREAT TO OFFER THIS WORLD. I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE.” MOST OF YOU ARE WONDERFULLY MADE, MY BROTHER PAUL HE WAS FEARFULLY MADE. YOU CAN'T REACH YOUR DESTINY DISCOUNTING YOURSELF, SEEING EVERYONE ELSE AS SMARTER, GREATER, PRETTIER. CAN I TELL YOU? YOU'RE AWESOME, YOU'RE TALENTED, YOU HAVE A GREAT PERSONALITY, YOU'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING AMAZING. IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, IT'S GOING TO LIMIT YOUR LIFE. SOMETIMES WE HAVE A FALSE SENSE OF HUMILITY. EVERYONE ELSE IS GREAT AND IT'S JUST LITTLE OLD ME. NO, GOD HANDPICKED YOU. HE CHOSE YOU TO BE HERE. HE CROWNED YOU WITH FAVOR. HE PUT GIFTS IN YOU. YOUR FINGERPRINTS LIKE NO ONE ELSE'S. YOU'RE A DESIGNER ORIGINAL. NO, YOU'RE NOT BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE, BUT YOU'RE NOT LESS THAN ANYONE ELSE. TELL YOURSELF A NEW STORY, “I AM VALUABLE, I AM FAVORED, I AM ATTRACTIVE, I HAVE A GREAT PERSONALITY, PEOPLE LIKE BEING AROUND ME.” YOU HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE IN LIFE AGAINST YOU, DON'T BE AGAINST YOURSELF. ARE YOU TELLING YOURSELF THE RIGHT STORY? “JOEL, I STUTTER. I HAVE THIS WEAKNESS.” SO DID MOSES. WHO MADE YOUR TONGUE? DO YOU THINK A LIMITATION IS GOING TO KEEP YOU FROM YOUR DESTINY? THAT GOD SOMEHOW SHORTCHANGED YOU? THAT YOU'RE LACKING IN SOME AREA? NOT A CHANCE. “WELL, I HAVE THIS SICKNESS, THIS ADDICTION, THIS PROBLEM AT WORK.” I'M NOT SAYING DENY IT, ACT LIKE IT'S NOT THERE. BUT LIKE THE LADY WITH THE ISSUE OF BLOOD, TELL YOURSELF A NEW STORY. HEALING IS COMING, FREEDOM IS COMING, BREAKTHROUGHS ARE COMING. LIKE THAT BEAR, ARE YOU LIVING WITH A LIMITED MENTALITY BECAUSE OF HOW YOU WERE RAISED, OR THE ENVIRONMENT YOU'RE IN NOW? I'M HERE TO TELL YOU, THE DOOR IS WIDE OPEN. GOD HAS AWESOME THINGS IN YOUR FUTURE. MAKE SURE YOUR STORY LINES UP WITH HIS STORY. BECAUSE THE STORY YOU TELL YOURSELF, IS THE STORY THAT'S GOING TO COME TO PASS. IF YOU'LL DO THIS, I BELIEVE AND DECLARE, LIKE THE CHILDREN OF THE ISRAELITES, YOU'RE GOING TO GO INTO THE PROMISED LAND. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE FAVOR, OVERCOME OBSTACLES, ACCOMPLISH DREAMS AND REACH THE FULLNESS OF YOUR DESTINY, IN JESUS' NAME. IF YOU RECEIVE IT, CAN YOU SAY AMEN? I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE JESUS THE LORD OF YOUR LIFE. WOULD YOU PRAY WITH ME? JUST SAY, “LORD JESUS, COME INTO MY HEART. I REPENT OF MY SINS. I MAKE YOU MY LORD AND SAVIOR.” IF YOU PRAYED THAT SIMPLE PRAYER, WE BELIEVE YOU GOT BORN AGAIN. WE'D LOVE TO SEND YOU SOME FREE INFORMATION ON YOUR NEW WALK WITH THE LORD. YOU CAN TEXT THE NUMBER THERE OR GO TO THE WEBSITE. I HOPE YOU'LL GET INTO A GOOD BIBLE-BASED CHURCH AND KEEP GOD FIRST PLACE. KEEP GOD FIRST PLACE. 喬爾:上帝保佑你。 今天和你在一起真是太好了。 我希望您 在 本週通過我們的每日 播客、我們的 YouTube 頻道和社交媒體與我們保持聯繫。 我們會讓您受到鼓勵 和啟發。 我喜歡從 有趣的事情開始。 我 聽說過這個積極的農民 和這個消極的農民。 下雨時,積極的農民會說: “上帝,感謝您 澆灌我們的莊稼。” 消極的農民會說: “是的,但如果繼續這樣下去 ,它就會 爛根。” 他總是那麼 消極。 有一天,他們一起 乘船去 獵鳥。 積極的 農民剛剛養了一隻新的 鳥狗。 他為他感到 驕傲。 他打了一隻鳥; 它掉進了水里。 對 消極的農民說:“看這個。” 狗從船上跳下來,在水面上跑,把鳥撿起來,又從水面上跑回來,把 它放在船上。 他對 消極的農民說:“你怎麼想的?” 消極的農夫說: “我早該知道, 那條狗連游泳都不會。” 照你的意思說。 這是我的聖經。 我就是它所說的我。 我有它所說的我有的。 我可以做它說 我可以做的事情。 今天,我將 學習上帝的話語。 我大膽地承認:我的頭腦很 警覺。 我的心很 容易接受。 以 耶穌的名義,我永遠不會是一樣的。 上帝祝福你。 我今天想和你談談給你自己 講一個新的 故事。 我們 都有一個關於我們如何看待自己、如何看待 未來的故事。 它來自於 我們的成長方式、人們所說的話、我們的成功和 失敗。 對於某些人來說, 他們的故事是負面的。 “我傷得太重了; 我不能再愛了。 我的 家庭處於不利地位, 我永遠不會成功。 我有遠大的夢想,但 我沒有天賦 和經驗。” 你知道是 什麼阻止了你嗎? 你的故事。 你被你 告訴自己的東西所限制。 你對自己的 信念,你如何看待你的環境 , 你所寫的故事將 壓倒其他人 所說的。 它比 事實更強大。 你可以 擁有令人難以置信的天賦,你有一個很好的個性,但如果你告訴自己你是一個普通人,你沒有太多可以提供的東西,你的禮物就 不會像他們 應該的那樣出現。 是你告訴自己的故事,讓你無法再 攀登更高的層次。 為什麼不給自己講 一個新故事? 聖經說, 上帝是你信仰的創造者和完成者 。 他是作者。 詩篇 139 篇說,“你所有的日子都是 在你出生之前就寫成的。” 上帝 已經寫下了你的 故事。 關鍵是讓你的 故事與他的 故事一致。 上帝說他對你的計劃 是好的,給你一個 未來和希望。 他稱你為傑作 、寶貴、勝利、得勝者 。 他說,“本來是有害的 ,他正在轉向 你的優勢。” 您可能已經 經歷了不 公平的事情。 敵人會喜歡 創作你的故事。 他 很想改寫上帝對你的評價。 你需要把那 支筆拿回來,劃掉所有的謊言,給自己講一個 新的故事。 上帝說他對這些灰燼有美感 ,他會為 你的錯誤報答你。 除非他在你面前有一些很棒的東西, 否則你不會活著。 不要讓情況,沒有成功的事情, 你認為自己沒有的事情, 說服你接受一個 錯誤的故事。 你的故事 為你的生活設定了界限。 不要告訴自己 你永遠不會成功, 永遠不會擺脫債務, 永遠不會遇到對的人。 告訴自己一個新的故事。 “我是按照 上帝的形象造的。 我得到了青睞,我是 一個傑作, 我有偉大。 無論我碰上什麼繁榮 和成功, 祝福都在追趕我,我的後期日子會比 以前更好 。” 這就是 上帝為 你寫的故事。 你的故事與 他的故事相矛盾嗎? 你是否讓人們、環境、 懷疑、消極情緒重寫了你的 故事? 不要讓其他人 成為作者。 拿回那 支筆,給自己講一個新故事。 當我父親去 與主同在時,我知道我應該站出來 牧養教會。 問題是 我 腦海中出現了錯誤的故事。 多年來我一直告訴自己,我無法在人們面前 站起來。 我太安靜了,我沒有 受過訓練,沒有 個性,我不 知道該說什麼。 所有這些想法都在說, “喬爾,看看你的父親。 他強壯、大膽、 外向。 他有很多經驗,沒人會 聽你的。” 我必須做 我要求你做的事情。 我開始給自己講一個 新故事。 我回到了那個 寫下我的故事的那個人, 那個給我呼吸生命的那個人 ,那個 在我出生在我母親的子宮里之前認識我 的那個人。 我說:“上帝,我 要讓你成為我 故事的作者。 我要相信我在 主和你的大能中是堅強的。 我相信我 可以通過基督做所有的事情。 我被裝備,被授權和 受膏。 主啊,感謝你讓我的 禮物得到充分發揮,你讓 我在這段時間里 長大。” 當你的 故事與 上帝所說的一致時, 你 無法做到的事情就會發生。 如果我沒有給自己講一個 新故事,如果我讓 恐懼、恐嚇、不安全感繼續存在,我今天就不會在這裡了 。 不要讓錯誤的故事 讓你遠離你的 偉大。 “好吧,喬爾,我無法領導 我的部門,我 無法在人們面前站起來,我沒有那麼有才華。” 誰 告訴你的? 這個故事是 從哪裡來的? 會不會是一個錯誤的 故事讓你無法 走得更高? “我不能在 學校取得好成績,我沒那麼聰明。 我能做的都是C。” 你必須意識到敵人已經拿走了 那 支筆並重寫了你的故事。 “我 無法戒掉這種癮,我永遠不會離開 這個社區, 我永遠不會實現我的 夢想,為時已晚。” 只要您相信這個 故事,它就會成為 現實。 上帝創造你不是 為了勉強過活。 他創造了你,讓你出類拔萃, 留下你的印記。 他說你要在 生命中作王。 勝利始於我們的頭腦。 聖經說:“要 小心你的想法, 因為你的想法支配 你的生活。” 你的故事 為你的生活設定了界限 。 摩西在沙漠中生活了 40 年後,上帝來到他面前 說:“摩西,去告訴 法老讓我的人離開 。” 摩西說:“上帝,我 不能站在法老面前, 我結巴了。 我的演講有問題 。 你知道我說得 不好。” 上帝說。 “摩西,誰造了你的 舌頭,誰造了你的 嘴?” 你認為上帝會要求你 做某事,然後不給 你能力去做嗎? 你認為他會 選擇你 在歷史上的這個時刻來到這裡,而 不是給你一切你 需要過上勝利的 生活, 克服障礙,讓你的 家人 比以前更好嗎? 摩西的問題是什麼? 他講錯了。 他告訴自己, “我沒有資格,我處於 劣勢,我有這些 限制。” 您 相信的 故事將會成為現實。 當你告訴上帝你 不能做什麼時,“上帝,我不能好 起來,你看到了報告。 我 不能開始我的事業,我沒 有那麼有才華 。 我不能做一些有意義的 事情,我來自 錯誤的家庭。” 上帝對你說他對 摩西說的話:“誰創造了你? 誰寫了你的故事? 誰給了你的禮物? 誰挑選了你的家人? 誰安排了你的 休息時間? 誰計劃了你的日子?” 宇宙的創造者,讓世界成為存在的 上帝,他是 你的作者。 他寫了你的故事。 你不是靠 自己過日子。 回到他對你說的話 。 有趣的是,我們 從小夢想開始。 我們 將成為一名宇航員、一名建築師、一名科學家、一名 歌手。 上周有個小男孩告訴我 他要 設計飛機。 他對 航空電子設備瞭如指掌。 作為一個孩子,我們沒有 限制。 我們相信我們可以做偉大的 事情。 但隨著時間的推移,我們的夢想 開始被淡化。 人們告訴我們我們 不能做什麼,我們經歷了 失望, 不公平的事情,生活開始 改寫我們的故事。 我們讓負面影響了 我們看待自己的方式,以及 我們的能力。 我們 最終得到的遠比上帝給我們的要少 得多。 注意 你自己講的故事。 回到上帝放在 你心裡的東西。 他要你再 做夢,再相信 ,再愛。 不要 讓錯誤的故事限制 你的命運。 不要相信這樣的 謊言,“ 只要忍受疾病和抑鬱, 我永遠都不會好起來。 我永遠不會上大學, 我永遠不會遇到對的人 ,讓我 度過一生。” 告訴 自己一個新的故事。 您仍然可以實現 您的夢想,您仍然可以 康復,仍然可以 遇到很棒的人,仍然可以達到 新的水平。 刪除那個舊故事。 擺脫這種 有限的思維。 這就是 阻止上帝儲存新事物的原因。 這是 以色列人犯的錯誤。 上帝把他們從 奴役中帶出來,分開 紅海,帶他們 走向應許之地。 這是美好的一天,他們的 夢想成真, 他們終於自由了。 但問題是他們 總是把自己 看作以前的奴隸。 不利的是,“我們經歷的 太多了。” 每次他們面對他們抱怨的反對時,他們都很害怕。 在應許之地,上帝 告訴他們他 會給他們勝利,但他們 說:“摩西,人 太大了。 我們沒有機會。 讓我們回到埃及, 讓我們回到 奴隸時代。” 注意 一個錯誤的故事有多麼強大。 在被 奴役、虐待、虐待之後,他們 說我們想回到同樣的 環境。 他們從埃及出來,但 埃及從來沒有從 他們那裡出來。 如果你不 改變你自己講的 故事,你 就會回到沒有意義的事情上 。 上帝從法老手中拯救了他們 ,他從岩石中汲取了水 。 他們親眼目睹了他的 強大力量。 這似乎很合乎邏輯,很容易讓 他們說,“這 是新的一天,上帝做了 偉大的事情,我們自由了, 讓我們進入應許之地 吧。” 相反,他們 保留了這種奴隸心態。 他們 給自己講的故事是,“我們 總是會被打敗的。 這是我們的生活。” 但我喜歡 這些 以色列人的孩子有不同的 故事這一事實。 他們的態度是,“我們 看到了苦難,被 虐待, 在沙漠中徘徊。 這 可能是我們的父母所 接受的,但這不是 我們的故事。 我們要進入應 許之地。 我們要吃 水果; 我們將住 在我們沒有 建造的房子裡, 享受上帝為我們預備的 祝福。” 他們的 父母將自己視為以前的 奴隸,這些孩子將 自己視為至高 神的兒女。 不是處於劣勢,而是被 青睞。 四十年前,他們的 父母從應 許之地 轉身在沙漠中流浪,現在 這些孩子 進入那片土地,擊敗了反對派,並 在 那裡生活在一個富足的地方 。 不同之處 在於他們自己講述的故事。 他們的父母本可以進去的 。 他們本可以 享受多年的上帝 恩寵,但他們讓他們的 懷疑、他們的恐懼、他們的 反對重寫了他們的 故事。 不要像這些 父母一樣,不要說出錯誤的 故事,你所經歷的 ,看起來 太大的事情,沒有發生的事情,讓你相信你無法擊敗你的巨人,你 無法完成 你的 夢想,你不能 健康、成功、 實現。 敵人拿到了你的筆。 他正在改變上帝為你寫的故事 。 拿回那支筆。 消除所有這些謊言。 這就是我父親所做的。 他在 成長過程中被講述的故事,他所 看到的故事模型是,“我們 很窮,我們永遠不會做 任何重要的事情,賠率對 我們不利。” 他的 父母是農民,他們 在大蕭條中失去了一切 。 他們正在盡最大 努力生存。 我明白艱難時刻即將 到來; 生活可以讓我們 彎曲。 您可能處於貧困狀態,但 永遠不要讓貧困 影響您。 不要形成一種 糟糕的心態,你所 相信的一切都 足以應付。 不要接受那作為你的 命運。 神為你預備了豐盛的生命 。 他知道如何 在沙漠中流連忘返,如何 讓你擺脫掙扎和匱乏,給 你豐富的生活。 但也許你需要改變 你自己講的故事。 十七歲那年,我 父親將他的生命 獻給了基督, 他是他家中的第一個。 他沒有錢。 他不得不從高中 輟學去農場工作。 沒有未來可言,但裡面 有些東西是活生生的 。 他在 17 歲時做出了一個決定, 他的 孩子永遠不會 在貧困和缺乏 他成長的環境中長大。 發生了什麼 事,他開始給 自己講一個新故事。 取而代之的是,“你 被困在這個環境中,你 永遠不會取得成功,永遠不會在 你的生活中做出任何事情。” 他的態度是,“我 注定要做偉大的事情。 上帝的恩惠臨到我的 生命,打開 無人能關的門,帶 我到我無法獨自去的地方。” 他 感覺到上帝呼召他成為一名牧師。 他告訴他的父母,他要 離開農場, 出去開始講話。 他們說:“約翰,你所 知道的就是 在農場工作。 你最好留在我們 這裡。 你會離開 那裡並失敗。” 他們的意思 很好,但你不能讓 其他人把他們的 故事放在你身上。 不要讓他們的 失敗、他們的消極情緒、他們有限的 願景阻止你相信你可以升得 更高。 人不是 你故事的作者,上帝才是。 他呼喚你,他膏抹你,他把夢想寄託在你身上 。 其他人可能不 理解。 他們可能會嘗試說服您 淡化您的 夢想。 記住正確的 故事。 我父親 那天離開了,開始了 一段比他 想像的更充實、更有意義的旅程。 他服侍了 50 多年,並以 驚人的方式看到了上帝的恩寵。 可能像我父親一樣, 你 成長的環境污染了你的故事。 你在周圍長大的人 ,你 現在和 誰在一起,不要太相信,接受平庸。 您必須成為 打破常規的人。 不要讓負面 故事限制你的生活。 這對他們來說很好,但這是新的一天。 上帝希望你走得更遠。 他在你的未來擁有 比你 想像的更偉大的東西。 現在與他 達成協議。 不要告訴自己 你是有限的,你已經盡你所能 , 你總是在掙扎。 不,給自己講一個新 故事。 擁有豐富的心態。 “主啊,感謝你讓我的 杯子跑了過來,感謝我生活 在天堂的窗戶下,感謝 你使 我興旺發達, 我將遺產 留給我 的子孫後代。” 我讀到了這隻熊。 他一生都住在十二英尺乘十二英尺的籠子裡,因為他還是 一隻小熊。 在白天,他會來回 踱步, 來回走動,一次幾個小時。 有一天,他被當局發現了 。 他們安排他被 帶到動物園。 這是一個很大的區域,有 很大的水池,可以攀爬的岩石,到處都是綠草。 這就像一個夢境。 他們搬運了熊, 打開了籠子,非常 興奮,但熊卻 不肯離開 籠子。 他們不得不把他推到綠草 叢中。 他們認為他最終會開始 跑步, 探索新的 環境,但 這隻熊所做的一切都是在 12 平方英尺的廣場上行走。 他從不去游泳池, 從不爬岩石, 從不和其他 熊一起玩。 他走出了籠子, 但籠子從來沒有 離開過他。 他的故事是,“我被 困住了,我很有限,我不能再往前走了 。” 當 事實是他有一個完整的 領域可以發揮。 你給自己講的故事很有 說服力。 我們是如何 成長的,我們所看到的模型,我們所處的環境,可以在我們的腦海中創造 這些 界限,我們在哪裡適應我們周圍的 事物。 即使上帝有各種奇妙的東西 ,如果你告訴自己 你已經達到了你的 極限,你就無法康復, 無法實現夢想, 就像那隻熊,你會 錯過你的充實 命運。 你告訴自己 的故事就是即將發生的 故事。 我的鼓勵是 籠子打開了,上帝對 你有很大的生命,恩惠, 機會,良好的 關係, 與他達成協議。 告訴 自己一個新的故事。 你不必弄清楚它會如何發生,你所要做的 就是相信。 在馬克第 5 章中, 這位女士已經病了 12 年。 她去看了最好的 醫生,花了她所有的 錢,但沒有 任何幫助。 她 告訴自己的故事是,“這種疾病是永久性的 , 我無能為力, 只是運氣不好。” 她 繼續走下坡路。 但有一天,她 聽說耶穌正 經過她的城鎮。 不管她感覺如何,不管情況如何,她都給自己講了一個新 故事。 她說:“當我觸摸到他長袍的 邊緣時,我 就會痊癒。” 聖經說:“她 不斷對自己說,我會好起來的,醫治來了,事情 即將 改變。” 她刪除了她的 舊故事並開始 給自己講一個新故事。 信念開始在她 心中升起。 當她一直說醫治 即將來臨時,她 開始 在人群中穿行。 當她觸摸他的 長袍時,她立刻就痊癒了。 像這位女士一樣,您可能 有充分的理由來講述 負面故事。 您正面臨著健康、財務和 人際關係方面的挑戰。 很容易讓失敗的想法 ,不能做的 想法,它永遠不會 在 你的腦海中發揮作用。 那就是當你不得不 像她一樣做的時候,深入 挖掘並說,“不,我要刪除這個 故事,我會是個 例外。 我會好起來的,我會看到 我的家人康復,我會 戒掉這種癮,我會 藉錢而不是藉錢,我會實現 我的夢想。” 給上帝一些 工作。 你不可能有一個老 故事,卻看到他 想做的新事情。 很多時候,我們的故事限制了 我們。 我們在 告訴自己什麼。 我們在自然中看待它 ,但上帝是 超自然的。 這就是信仰的意義 所在。 這就是為什麼上帝對 摩西說:“誰造了你的 舌頭?” 他在說, “ 摩西你只用你的能力看它, 你不知道我有 所有的權力嗎? 我創造了宇宙; 沒有什麼能阻止我的 計劃實現。” 上帝已經寫下了 你的故事。 是的,會有 起起落落、挑戰和 勝利。 但你不會 反對他 還沒有 解決方案。 他不會讓你 陷入他無法解決的問題 。 關鍵是不要讓那個 錯誤的故事生根發芽。 在困難時期,當 一切都沒有改變時,它需要的時間比 你 想像的要長,它很 容易變得沮喪、痛苦、 淡化你的夢想。 你必須不斷 告訴自己,“這不是 永久性的。 它沒有留下來; 它通過了。 我是一個得勝者。 上帝總是讓我 得勝。 這不會阻止 我; 勝利正朝著我的方向 前進。 在加利福尼亞的一所高中進行了一項實驗 。 校長告訴三位老師 ,因為他們是該學區最有效率的老師,他們的評分最高,因此他們被 選為新 項目。 在成千上萬的 學生中,他們將選擇 前 九十名的學生; 最聰明、最有才華、 智商最高的人,讓 他們與這些老師一起 上課。 他們可以更快地教他們 。 老師和 學生 都很興奮,知道他們是學校裡最聰明的。 在學年結束時 ,這三個 班級的學習 量比其他 學生多 30%。 他們 在數學、 閱讀和科學方面的成績提高了 30%。 那是個巨大的成功。 然後校長 告訴老師,他們沒有學區前 九十名的學生,他們只是隨機選擇了這些學生。 老師們對自己感覺非常好,認為他們太聰明了, 他們做了 這麼棒的工作。 然後 校長告訴老師他們 不是最有效的 老師。 他們是從帽子中隨機挑選出來的 。 關鍵是當你告訴 自己一個不同的故事, 當你告訴自己 你是按照 上帝的形象造的; 聰明、有才華、 受寵愛、聰明,你會看到 你命運的新 境界。 您可能沒有意識到, 但我們在萊克伍德唯一允許的人 ,我們有一個非常 嚴格的政策,我們唯一 允許在天狼星 XM 上在線的人 是 最聰明、最健康、最具創造力、 最具吸引力、最 慷慨、最有價值的人, 最幸福的人。 我們對 您充滿信心。 我們以上帝看待 你的方式看待你。 唯一讓 一些人 退縮的是他們正在講述的 故事。 “我沒有那麼天分, 我沒有我表弟那麼聰明, 我不能像 我的朋友那樣做生意,我不能 像你那樣寫書,喬爾。” 如果您開始以 不同的方式看待自己,誰知道您能做什麼? 我會告訴你一些關於我的有趣的事情 。 自從我開始 傳道以來,二十 多年前,每次我站起來說話,無論走到哪裡, 我都會想, “這裡的每個人都愛我。 這裡的每個人都認為我 很棒。” 我知道我很天真,我 知道每個人都不知道, 但這就是我告訴自己的 故事。 幫我一個忙,讓我在 我的無知中。 這比 起床時不安全、害怕、“我不認為 他們會喜歡我, 他們不會 聽我的,我希望我不會讓 他們感到厭煩”要好得多。 我給自己講的故事 是:“ 喬爾,你是受膏的,你是 受寵的,你是蒙福的。” 我這樣說 並不是 傲慢,而是謙虛。 你需要告訴自己的故事 是,“上帝將 他的生命吹入我的體內。 我是傑作。 我有一些很棒的東西可以提供給 這個世界。 我很害怕,也很 奇妙。” 你們中的大多數人都非常出色, 我的兄弟保羅,他被 嚇壞了。 你 無法達到你的命運打折自己,看到每個人都更聰明、更偉大、更 漂亮。 我可以告訴你嗎? 你 很棒,你很有才華,你有一個偉大的 個性,你會做一些 了不起的事情。 如果你不相信 自己,它就會 限制你的生命。 有時我們有一種虛假的 謙卑感。 其他人都很棒,而 我只是個小老頭。 不,上帝精心挑選了你。 他選擇你來這裡。 他加冕了你的青睞。 他把禮物放在你身上。 您的指紋 與眾不同。 您是設計師原創作品。 不,你並不比 任何人都好,但你並不 比任何人差。 給自己講一個新故事, “我很有價值,我很 受歡迎,我很有吸引力,我有很好的個性,喜歡在我身邊的人 。” 生活中有足夠的人 反對你,不要 反對你自己。 你在告訴 自己正確的故事嗎? “喬爾,我結巴了。 我有這個弱點。” 摩西也是。 誰造了你的舌頭? 你認為限制會讓你遠離 你的命運嗎? 上帝以 某種方式縮短了你? 你在某些方面缺乏 什麼? 不是機會。 “嗯,我有 這種疾病,這種成癮, 這個工作問題。” 我 不是說否認它, 就像它不存在一樣。 但就像有血病的女士一樣 ,給自己講 一個新的故事。 醫治來了,自由來了 ,突破來了 。 像那隻熊一樣,你 是否因為 你的成長方式或 你現在所處的環境而生活在一種有限的心態中? 我在這裡告訴你, 門是敞開的。 上帝在 你的未來有很棒的事情。 確保您的 故事與他的故事一致。 因為你告訴 自己的故事,就是即將發生的 故事。 如果你這樣做,我 相信並 宣布,就像以色列人的孩子一樣,你將進入應 許之地。 你會以耶穌的名義看到 恩惠、克服障礙、實現 夢想並 實現你的命運 。 如果你收到了,你能說 阿門嗎? 我想給你一個 機會,讓 耶穌成為你生命的主宰。 你願意和我一起祈禱嗎? 只要說,“主耶穌, 進入我的心。 我為我的罪悔改 。 我使你成為我的 主和救主。” 如果你祈禱那 簡單的祈禱,我們相信 你已經重生了。 我們很 樂意向您發送一些 關於您 與主同行的免費信息。 您可以 在此處發送電話號碼或 訪問網站。 我希望你能進入一個以 聖經為基礎的良好教會,並把 上帝放在首位。 把上帝放在第一位。