Transcription
[music] The title of my message this morning is remind God of what He said. One of the most powerful ways to pray is to lay hold of a promise in scripture and remind God of what He said about you. God, you said, "I am blessed and cannot be cursed." Numbers 23:8. God, you said that you would satisfy me with long life. Proverbs 91 verse 16. God, you said that your favor is not for a season, but for a lifetime. Psalm 30 verse 5. When we can declare "God you said, the entire heavens are listening. God is faithful to His word." Isaiah 62 relates in the amplified translation, call to the remembrance of the Lord your promises concerning you. The verse does not say call to the remembrance of the Lord your problems. Sometimes we use prayer as an excuse to complain. God, these people at work are not treating me well. God the price of gas is so high. I don't know how I'm going to make it. My God, these children are getting on my nerves. I can't take it anymore. No, we don't need to narrate our problems to God. He already knows what we're going through. He knows every need, every concern. He even knows the number of hairs on our head. Of course, it's good to be open and honest and share with God how you feel. That said, "Don't turn this into a pity party. It will only discourage you further. If you want to see things change, if you want God to change things, instead of groaning, dig up a promise you can stand on and go to God with the assurance God. You said that if the enemy comes against me on one path, you will defeat him and make him flee on seven different paths. Deuteronomy 28:7. Yes, the price of gas is high, but I'm not focusing on that, because you said you would supply all my needs according to your riches. Philippians 4:19. You said that you are Jehovah Jireh, the Lord who provides. Genesis 22:14. Yes, these people at work are not treating me well, but I'm not here for that because you said you would be my deliverer. Psalm 18:2. You said you would fight for me. Exodus 14:14. You said that what is meant to harm me, you will turn it around and use it for my good. Genesis 50:20. When you remind God of these promises, that's what allows Him to bring them to pass. You may not feel good. The medical report doesn't look good and it's easy to give up. God, I don't see how I'm going to make it. I don't see how I'm ever going to recover. This diagnosis is so bad. No. Instead of calling to the remembrance of the Lord your problems, call to the remembrance of the Lord your promises. God, you said that you would heal me, you would mend my wounds. Jeremiah 30:17, you said that I will live and not die. Psalm 118:17. You said that what is impossible for men is possible with God. Luke 18:27. When you pray the promises instead of the problems, not only will you feel better and your attitude will change from victim to victor, but the word of God that comes out of your mouth is alive and powerful. When God hears His promises, He sends angels with the answers. He sets the miracle in motion. He will begin to turn things around in your favor. It may not happen overnight, but you have to stay in faith and keep reminding God of what He promised you day after day. Instead of lamenting, you need to profess God you said. Instead of begging God, proclaim God you said. Instead of describing the circumstances, hammer. God you said. If you make it a habit to confess God you said, you will eventually see what God said come to pass in your life. And one day, instead of professing God you said, you will proclaim God you did. You turned the situation around. You blessed me, you healed me. You favored me, you restored me, you justified me. You were faithful to what you promised. Think of it as a parent. When we promise our children something, we do everything we can to make that promise come to pass. Our daughter Alexandra loves going to Disney World. We took her when she was only three or four years old and she's been hooked ever since. Today she's 12 and we haven't been in a while. About a year ago, I was tucking her into bed one night and she said, "Daddy, I really want to go back to Disney World. You'll take me one day, won't you?" Without thinking, I assured her. Of course, I will. We'll go there again. She questioned. You promise? I replied, yes, it's a promise. I didn't know what I was getting myself into. The next morning first thing, "Daddy, you said we were going to Disney World. When are we going?" I said something like, "Hold on a minute, I just woke up." Every other day, she reiterated, "Daddy, you said, you said, you said, you said." I must have heard that at least 1000 times. She wasn't about to let me forget that promise. You know what, we're going after church today? Disney World. If we earthly parents are so moved when our children remind us of what we promised, if we feel such an obligation to respond to what you said, how much more will our Heavenly Father keep His word? He is not a man that He should lie. Numbers 23:19. whereas we can break our promises. I could have gotten away with not keeping my word. God, however, cannot go against His. All these promises are yes and amen. Some of us right now need to locate a You said Father, you said that I will lend and not borrow. Deuteronomy 15:16. Remind God of that again and again. You may be facing hardship, business is slow. You don't see how things are going to turn around. Don't go to God with that. Take a You said Father. You said that you would open the floodgates of heaven. Malachi 3:10. You said that my cup overflows. Psalm 23:5. You said that everything I touch will prosper. Deuteronomy 29:9. You said that you would make me prosper even in a desert. Jeremiah 17:8. When you constantly remind God of what He said, you release your faith. You won't have time to complain if you stay focused on you said. As long as God's promises are coming out of your mouth, you cannot be defeated or discouraged. You may have family members who are not on the right path, who are not making good decisions. Don't go crying to God detailing how bad the situation is. Complaining about the problem won't fix it. Asking God to help you doesn't get His attention. No. But all day long, say, "Father, you said, 'As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.' Joshua 24:15. You said that my offspring will be mighty on the earth and the generation of the upright will be blessed. Psalm 112. Take a bunch of you said and go to God. That's what gets His attention. I was chatting with a woman last week. Her 17-year marriage is coming to an end. She was devastated. The husband left for someone else and her world seemed to be falling apart. When things like this happen, it's easy to get depressed, to feel sorry for yourself, and to have no hope for the future. I verbalized to her what I'm encouraging you to do. You need to find some You said, Father, you said that you would give me a crown of beauty instead of ashes. Isaiah 61:3. God, you said that I will be repaid double for the injustices that have happened. Exodus 22:7. God, you said that my end will be better than my beginning. Ecclesiastes 7:8, you said that all things work together for my good. Romans 8:28. When you are tempted to feel sorry for yourself, turn it around and declare a you said. If you are pushed to have a bitter attitude of lamenting, let that be a reminder. God you said. All day long, you need to remind God of His promises. Just like Alexandra when she's having her breakfast suddenly says, "Daddy, you said we were going to Disney World. When are we going?" I don't know yet Alexandra, but Daddy, you said it. No matter how many times Alexandra reminds me, I know I said it. You've reminded me at least 450 times. So, after church today, we're going to Disney World. not because I want to, but so she'll leave me alone. The rest of the passage states that you need to remind God of His promises not to be silent, not to give Him any rest until the thing is accomplished. That's what Alexandra did. She's an expert. She didn't give me any rest. She didn't give me any reprieve. She did not keep silent. Some today are standing on a promise. You have a you said. The problem is you are too passive. You can't remind God just once and think that's enough. It says not to be silent, not to give Him any rest. That means you have to be tenacious. You have to show God that you are serious. not by harassing Him, not by begging Him, but by going to Him in faith, reminding Him again and again of what He promised you. If you wake up in the morning, and the following thoughts come and whisper to you, you'll never get well. You'll never achieve your dreams. You'll never get out of debt. Well, step it up. Say, "Father, you said that my enemies retreat on the day I cry out. I know that God is for me." Psalm 56:9. In the shower, God, you said that I am more than a conqueror. Romans 8:37. Driving to work, God, you said, "The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all." Psalm 34:19. At the office whispering, God, you said that you have salvation in store for the righteous. Proverbs 27. Driving home, God, you said, "I will go before you and will level the mountains." Isaiah 45:2. Doing it just once and thinking it's over is not enough. Joel, I did that in January, I did that 37 years ago. No, you have to be persistent. It says not to be silent. Another way to phrase that is you have to be persistent when it comes to reminding God of what He promised us. Not by crying, not by demanding, but relentlessly. If Alexandra hadn't been so persistent, we wouldn't be going to Disneyland after church. I had promised her we would go there and if she hadn't reminded me, if it wasn't important to her, I wouldn't have mentioned it again. To tell you the truth, I don't really feel like traveling. I'm on the road all the time. I also don't want to stand in line. I would have preferred to stay home, relax. The problem is I gave her my word and she reminded me not just once, but many, many times. If she had only done it a few times a year, I might have talked her out of it. Unfortunately, she was inflexible. She wasn't going to be put off by a refusal. She knew I would keep my word. Some of you would have your lives elevated to the next level if you would stop being so inert and start reminding God of what He decreed about your family, your career, your health, your finances, your future. Not once, but over and over and over again. In scripture, Jesus told a parable about an unjust and wicked judge. This man did not fear God and had no respect for anyone. Luke 18:2. One day, a widow came to him and said, "Judge, I have a problem. This man is harassing me. I need you to make him stop bothering me. I need protection." In other words, she was saying, "I have a promise from the government. The law is on my side. Judge, I need you to enforce the law and make him stop bothering me." This judge didn't pay her any mind. He didn't pay her any attention. He ruled, I will not rule on your case. Don't bother me with this. Get out of my courtroom. She left undiscouraged. She knew the law was on her side. She persisted in returning day after day, week after week. Every time the judge entered his courtroom, this woman was there pleading her case. Judge enforce this law, it's my right. The law is on my side. Finally, she wore the judge out. He said to himself, I will help you not because I want to, nor because I like you, but so that you will stop bothering me. One translation reads, because of your persistence and insolence. That's how we need to be when it comes to reminding God of what He said. The good news is that God is not like this judge. God is for us. God is on our side. And if we want these promises to come to pass, we need to exhibit this persistence and insolence. You may have to press on certain promises for 1 year, 5 years, or 20 years. Whatever it is, like this lady, you need to have a settled mind. You must not be silent. You know what belongs to you. Just like Alexandra reminded me many times, you need to be stubborn about reminding God constantly until that promise comes to pass. I love what my sister Lisa did. She and her husband had been trying to have a baby for 6 years without success. Lisa wrote a contract between herself and God. She listed on a piece of paper all the promises she was claiming concerning having a baby. She wrote it out like a legal contract. She even signed at the bottom of the document and had Kevin her husband sign it as well. Isaiah 41 verse 21 says, "Present your case, says the Lord, bring forth your arguments," says the King of Jacob. Lisa wrote at the top of the paper, "God, Kevin and I submit our case to you which is based on your word. God, you said in Genesis 1:28, be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. God, how would that be unless you help us? [music] God, you said in Psalm 112 that our offspring will be mighty on the earth. God, how would that be possible if you don't give us children? God, you said in Psalm 113:9 that He gives a home to the barren woman. He makes her a joyful mother among her children. God, how would that be possible if you don't give us children? God, we have done all we can. Now, we submit our case to you based on your word, knowing that you are true and faithful to what you say. She took that contract, that piece of paper filled with verses, and taped it to her bathroom mirror where she could see it multiple times a day. Week after week, month after month, she kept reminding God of what He had promised. About 2 years later, God blessed them with twins and they had three beautiful children. God is faithful to His word. My question is, are you pleading your case? Do you have evidence? Have you done like Lisa and found the supporting promises that make you believe? God, you said that you would make me a joyful mother among her children. God, you said that you would restore what the enemy has stolen. God, you said that you would give me the desires of my heart. If you plead your case before God, the good news is that Jesus is called our advocate, 1 John 2:1 and He is the advocate in the courtroom of heaven. Imagine that. Jesus is our advocate and God is the judge. As long as you plead your case based on the word of God, you cannot lose. He will be faithful and true to His word. It would be good for all of us to draw up a list just like Lisa of the promises we are standing on and tape it to the bathroom mirror somewhere where we will see it constantly throughout the day. Week after week, do not let up. Remind God of what He promised you. When thoughts come to tell you that you will never rise any higher, that your best days are over. Plead your case, God, you said that the path of the righteous is like the shining light that grows brighter and brighter until full daylight. Proverbs 4:18. God, you said that the glory of this latter house will be greater than the former. Haggai 2:9. My case is not based on how I feel. It's not based on the economy. It's not based on a medical report. It's not based on what someone said about me. My case is based solely on your word. And I know that you cannot lie, that what you say, you do. Pleading your case before God is exactly that. Only, sometimes, especially when things are difficult, instead of pleading our case, we beg God, please, you have to help me. God, I went to church last weekend. God, I'm a good person. I volunteered at the shelter. God, I beg you to do something. The problem with that is you have no evidence to back it up. You're not standing on any evidence. You're just telling God how you feel. You're just detailing the circumstances. Tell me, when you have to present a case, like in a court of law, you have to be prepared. You can't just walk in and say, judge, I need help. No, you come with documents, with evidence, you've done your research. Likewise, when you enter the court of heaven, it's just a picture, you have to remind God of what the contract says. God, you said, "No weapon formed against me shall prosper and every tongue that rises against me in judgment, I will condemn." Here's my evidence, Lord. It's in Isaiah 54:17. God, you said that you are our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Here's my evidence. Psalm 46 verse 1. God, you have attested and I will bring down all the strength of the wicked. The strength of the righteous will be lifted up. Here's my evidence. Psalm 75:10. When you go to God with evidence of what He said, it's a powerful case. It's an unbeatable case. Alas. A great number just implore. Whereas if you change and start building your case, pleading your case, you will see God begin to turn things around in your favor. I know a woman who for several years was at odds with her teenage daughter. She used to come to pray all the time feeling upset and discouraged. I did my best to encourage her by trying to get her to persist in believing. However, rather than coming to pray, she seemed to only come to complain about what God wasn't doing. I shared with her this principle that instead of complaining to God, you need to remind Him of what He promised you. And I shared with her Proverbs 31 verse 28. It says that her children will rise up and call her blessed. At that time, this daughter was calling her mother every name except blessed. The mother took what I suggested to heart and she spent her days relentlessly repeating, "Father, you said that my children will rise up and call me blessed!" When the daughter was disrespectful, instead of lamenting as she used to, she would reiterate, "No, Father, you said that my daughter will call me blessed." She then discovered other promises of God. "God, you said that children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward." Psalm 127 verse 3. She presented her case, made her arguments, brought her evidence. About 3 years later, this young woman completely changed her behavior. Today, the mother and daughter are the best of friends. She is as kind and respectful as can be. They do everything together, including coming to church. The mother recently confided in me, Joel. Now, when I articulate, my children will rise up and call me blessed. I no longer profess it by faith. It has become a reality. God has executed that promise. That's what God wants to do in all of our lives. In 1 Chronicles chapter 17, God made a promise to David that seemed almost inconceivable. David was not from an influential family. He was neither the strongest nor the most talented. He was just an ordinary person. Yet, God delivered to him. One of your descendants will perpetually be on the throne of Israel. Your dynasty will never end. David was overwhelmed. He responded, "God, I am just a shepherd by birth. You speak to me as if I were someone great." He could have easily dismissed this promise, let it go in one ear and out the other. However, instead of dismissing it, he adopted the attitude, "God, if you are bold enough to promise it, I am bold enough to believe it." He aligned himself with God. I imagine him during times of great difficulty when enemies were rising against him and it looked like he would be defeated. That's when he would turn to God and remind Him of this promise. God, you said that I would continually be on the throne. You said that my dynasty would never end. Instead of begging, he would stand his ground and present his case with God. You said that to this day, this promise is still being fulfilled. When we read scripture, we see promises from time to time that seem inconceivable such as the one that says we will lend and not borrow. Deuteronomy 15:6. In the natural, we don't see how that could happen. or the one that says we will prosper in all things and be in good health as our soul prospers. 3 John verse 2. Perhaps the medical report states strictly the opposite. We have a choice. We can either seize these promises and present them to God, reminding Him of them again and again without being silent, knowing that He will bring them to pass. Or we can be discouraged and tell God all the reasons why it's not going to happen. No. Let's be like David who stands by God. If you were determined enough to promise it, we are determined enough to believe it. In other words, God, if you declare that I am blessed, then when I come to you, I am not going to remind you of all my problems and how slow business is. No, the words I will bring to you are Yours. Those that guarantee me that I am blessed, that I am the head and not the tail, that I am victorious. It may seem impossible, but instead of explaining to God why you won't succeed, why not go before Him with Ephesians 3:20, God, you said that you would do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. Do you implore or do you plead your case before God by reminding Him of what He promised you? [music] There is an amazing promise that God makes to each one of us in Genesis 12 verse 2. As Abraham's descendants, God states, "I will make your name great." One translation says, "I will make your name renowned." That's a great promise to remind God of. I have a friend who comes from a family with a very bad reputation. Their name was anything but distinguished. They were known for their criminality, their illegal activities, and also in the drug scene. Several of his relatives had gone to prison because of all of that. This situation goes back three or four generations. As a young man, he came to Christ and took a better path. He was doing his best to overcome all of that negative baggage. Despite that, this dark cloud seemed to follow him wherever he went. When people found out his family name, especially in his community, they treated him differently and avoided associating with him. It was as if he was wearing this badge of dishonor. I communicated to him that he needed to remind God of what He had promised him. I told him, "Every day, you need to verbalize God. You said that you would make my name great. You said that if I honor you, you will honor me." 1 Samuel 2:30. Instead of begging God, it's not fair. Why was I born into this family? Why do I have to face this bad reputation? He began to plead his case by professing God, you said that you would make my name renowned. In fact, he became a successful coach. Several months ago, he brought me a picture of himself receiving an award. He was elected coach of the year at his academy. In the hall of his school, there is a plaque with all the coaches of the year and each year, a new one is added. His finger pointed to the top of the plaque where it said Coach of the Year. And below that, in bold letters, it read Distinguished Laureate, his name was there. He smiled and said, "Joel, God has made my name something notable. Friends, God is a faithful God. Don't implore. Don't tell God why you can't succeed, why you can't get well? Why you will never get out of debt? No. Make your case known, plead your case. Remind God of what He said about you. Draw up a list of the promises you are standing on. And when you go to the court of heaven, it's just a picture. Bring forth your arguments. Submit your evidence. God, you said that I am blessed and cannot be cursed. Just like Lisa said, God, you said that you would make me a joyful mother among her children. God, you said that you would restore what the enemy has stolen. Don't keep silent. Remind God of things constantly, not by harassing Him, not by begging Him, no, but with faith, with a you said. When you remind God of His promises and not your problems, God will show Himself faithful to His word and what He promised to do, He will do. You will rise higher overcoming obstacles, defeating enemies, and accomplishing your dreams. I believe and declare that you will become all that God created you to be and you will have all that God intended for you to have in Jesus' name. If you receive it, say amen. We would like to give you the opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Will you pray with me? Say Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make you my Lord and Savior. And thank you, Lord for the baptism of the Holy Spirit in me in Jesus' name. By this simple prayer, we believe that the Holy Spirit is leading you on the path of new birth. Go to a good Bible-based church. Give God first place. We sincerely hope this message will encourage you. If you know someone who could be encouraged, please send it to them. Let's build up the body of Christ together. We regularly post messages, shorts, and prayers. Hit the notification bell to remind you. Thank you so much for supporting us by subscribing to our channel. May God bless you wonderfully. [music]