#S076 - “A No Win Situation” (Part 1) 00:00:06.97\00:00:12.97 I won't invite you to go with me quickly. 00:00:20.22\00:00:21.82 And your Bibles to the Book of Genesis. 00:00:21.85\00:00:25.05 The Book of Genesis. Chapter 39. 00:00:25.09\00:00:27.19 And I'll actually pick it up here at verse number 00:00:28.22\00:00:31.06 seven, Genesis Chapter 39. 00:00:31.09\00:00:33.36 And together we'll look at verse number seven. 00:00:33.40\00:00:34.96 Let me ask 00:00:35.00\00:00:35.40 the question, 00:00:35.43\00:00:35.96 has anybody in this room 00:00:36.00\00:00:37.07 ever been tempted before anybody ever been tempted? 00:00:37.10\00:00:38.93 Okay. Yeah. 00:00:40.04\00:00:41.07 So so today, from the word 00:00:41.10\00:00:42.50 we want to give you some instruction, 00:00:42.54\00:00:44.31 especially as you begin this new semester, both young 00:00:44.34\00:00:48.28 and aged, on how we can manage the temptations of this life. 00:00:48.31\00:00:52.68 Because one of the things you're going to find 00:00:53.72\00:00:54.58 is that you don't outgrow temptation. 00:00:54.62\00:00:56.99 You can't out pray temptation. 00:00:57.02\00:00:59.49 You never out age temptation. 00:00:59.52\00:01:01.92 You simply get the strength from God to refuse and resist it. 00:01:03.12\00:01:06.29 Can you say amen? 00:01:06.33\00:01:08.10 And so having said that, let's go to Genesis 39 00:01:08.13\00:01:11.00 and we'll look together it verse number seven for context. 00:01:12.17\00:01:13.77 Joseph, the son of Jacob, has been betrayed 00:01:14.77\00:01:18.71 by his brothers, sold into slavery. 00:01:18.74\00:01:21.08 He works in the home of a man named Potter, 00:01:22.04\00:01:24.55 and God gives him great success there. 00:01:25.45\00:01:27.78 And then we'll pick it up here, Genesis 39 and verse seven. 00:01:28.98\00:01:31.85 When you get there, just say, Pastor, I'm here. 00:01:31.89\00:01:33.29 Genesis 39 and verse seven, 00:01:35.06\00:01:37.73 the Bible says, and it came to pass after these things 00:01:37.76\00:01:42.00 that his masters wife cast 00:01:42.63\00:01:45.23 longing eyes on Joseph. 00:01:45.27\00:01:47.47 And she said, Live with me. 00:01:48.47\00:01:51.01 But he refused and said to his master's wife, Look, 00:01:52.31\00:01:57.18 my master does not know what is with me in the house. 00:01:58.35\00:02:00.72 And he has committed that to all that he has to my hand 00:02:01.92\00:02:04.95 there is no one greater in this house than I. 00:02:05.92\00:02:08.36 Nor has he kept back anything from me 00:02:09.22\00:02:11.69 but you because you are his wife. 00:02:12.53\00:02:14.56 How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against who? 00:02:15.73\00:02:20.10 So the trespass is not just 00:02:20.77\00:02:22.17 against Potter for the nation of Israel. 00:02:22.20\00:02:24.31 He realizes that this is a trespass against God. 00:02:25.31\00:02:28.11 And so it was, as he spoke to Joseph day by day, 00:02:29.18\00:02:31.75 that he did not heed her to lie with her or to be with her. 00:02:32.95\00:02:35.72 But it happened about this time when Joseph went into the house 00:02:36.99\00:02:40.39 to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside 00:02:40.42\00:02:44.46 that she caught him by his garment 00:02:45.29\00:02:47.76 saying, Lie with me. 00:02:48.26\00:02:50.67 But he left his garment in her hand 00:02:51.47\00:02:53.70 and fled and ran outside. 00:02:54.34\00:02:56.64 And so it was when she saw 00:02:57.44\00:02:59.81 that he left his garment in her hand 00:03:00.68\00:03:03.41 and fled outside, that she called the men of her house 00:03:04.51\00:03:08.35 and spoke to them, saying, See, 00:03:09.05\00:03:11.49 he has brought in to us a Hebrew to mark us. 00:03:11.52\00:03:15.46 And he came into me to lie with me 00:03:16.29\00:03:18.46 and I cried out with a loud voice, I need you to know 00:03:19.63\00:03:21.70 Karen's didn't just be born in recent years. 00:03:21.73\00:03:26.00 You had some Karen's all the way back in Egypt, 00:03:26.03\00:03:28.64 and the 00:03:30.14\00:03:31.17 Bible says, and it happened when he heard that. 00:03:31.21\00:03:33.41 I lifted up my voice and cried out 00:03:33.44\00:03:35.81 that he left his garment with me and fled and went outside. 00:03:35.84\00:03:39.15 So she kept his garment with her until his master came home. 00:03:40.35\00:03:43.15 Then she spoke to him with words like these, say, the Hebrew 00:03:44.35\00:03:47.12 servant whom you brought to us came in to mock me. 00:03:47.16\00:03:50.73 So it happened as I lifted my voice and cried out 00:03:51.79\00:03:54.30 that he left his garment with me and fled outside. 00:03:55.36\00:03:57.50 And so it was when his master heard the words 00:03:58.47\00:04:00.94 which his wife spoke to him saying, Your servant did to me 00:04:00.97\00:04:04.87 after this manner that his anger was aroused. 00:04:04.91\00:04:08.24 Then Joseph's master put him into the prison, 00:04:09.18\00:04:12.08 a place where the king's prisoners were confined, 00:04:13.08\00:04:15.42 and he was there in the prison. 00:04:16.12\00:04:17.92 But thank God, the Lord was with Joseph 00:04:18.75\00:04:22.22 and showed him mercy and gave him a 00:04:23.06\00:04:26.23 in the sight of the keeper of the prison 00:04:27.13\00:04:29.50 and the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph 00:04:30.57\00:04:33.44 saying all the prisoners who were in the prisoner 00:04:33.47\00:04:36.30 and whatever they did there, it was his doing 00:04:37.31\00:04:40.24 today states for just a little while 00:04:41.11\00:04:42.81 I want to talk to you under the subject. 00:04:42.84\00:04:45.21 A no win situation, 00:04:45.25\00:04:48.65 a no win situation. 00:04:49.65\00:04:52.02 Let us pray together. 00:04:52.05\00:04:54.32 Father, 00:04:54.36\00:04:55.26 would you grant me full might to be able to preach your word? 00:04:56.49\00:05:00.33 And Lord, would you give those of all ages 00:05:01.20\00:05:03.87 the strength of mind and the resolve 00:05:03.90\00:05:06.50 to not just receive it and affirm it, 00:05:07.37\00:05:10.07 but to live it in between the Sabbaths? 00:05:11.01\00:05:13.34 So, Lord, I'm 00:05:13.98\00:05:15.08 praying that your spirit would not just sit upon me. 00:05:15.11\00:05:17.48 Lord, let your spirit set upon the service. 00:05:18.48\00:05:20.38 Would you hide me in the shadows of the cross 00:05:21.42\00:05:23.02 that Jesus alone might be? 00:05:23.65\00:05:25.02 See, that Christ alone might be heard, and at the end 00:05:25.05\00:05:30.63 of our time together, let Jesus only be praised. 00:05:31.69\00:05:34.83 Praise blesses. 00:05:35.23\00:05:36.06 To this end 00:05:36.10\00:05:37.13 we ask in the wonderful name of Jesus, our Lord, 00:05:37.17\00:05:40.27 let them that believe, say together, amen. 00:05:41.24\00:05:43.07 And a man. You may be seated 00:05:43.74\00:05:45.31 in the House of the Lord 00:05:46.57\00:05:47.78 again, talking to you 00:05:47.81\00:05:53.55 under the subject. 00:05:53.58\00:05:56.82 A no win situation. 00:05:56.85\00:06:02.66 When asked if we could 00:06:02.69\00:06:04.43 come on in quickly or exit quickly 00:06:05.26\00:06:07.86 so as not to disrupt our neighbors again, 00:06:10.20\00:06:13.40 talking to you under the subject, a no win 00:06:14.37\00:06:17.84 situation. 00:06:19.01\00:06:22.31 You know, friends, one of the things I've come to believe 00:06:22.34\00:06:25.88 is that as a Christian, 00:06:27.08\00:06:29.02 you cannot have flexible ethics. 00:06:29.05\00:06:32.05 We should be flexible 00:06:33.86\00:06:35.62 in our preferences, but we should be rigid 00:06:35.66\00:06:39.46 in our convictions and in our principles 00:06:39.49\00:06:42.40 so that I should never come to the conclusion 00:06:43.43\00:06:46.60 about the right thing based upon 00:06:46.63\00:06:49.80 the situations that touch my life. 00:06:49.84\00:06:52.44 And the reason we sometimes have this drifting morality 00:06:53.64\00:06:57.65 is because we find ourselves in real time 00:06:58.58\00:07:01.72 trying to decide the right thing 00:07:02.42\00:07:04.72 while circumstances emerge when the truth 00:07:04.75\00:07:08.66 is that your understanding of right ought to be pre 00:07:08.69\00:07:13.06 decided and pre arranged and pre determined. 00:07:13.09\00:07:17.43 And the why of this dialog is because at times 00:07:18.47\00:07:22.17 we look at the Scriptures as if it was a Hollywood script 00:07:23.34\00:07:27.14 where good triumphs over bad 00:07:27.81\00:07:30.28 and righteousness always beats evil. 00:07:30.31\00:07:33.68 But how many of us know that every now and then 00:07:34.72\00:07:37.35 God allows His people to encounter 00:07:38.19\00:07:40.76 what looks like a no win situation? 00:07:41.52\00:07:44.23 You see, a no win situation is where 00:07:45.09\00:07:48.10 there is a cost for doing right and there is a consequence 00:07:48.13\00:07:52.60 for doing wrong. 00:07:52.63\00:07:54.10 It is where there is a penalty for integrity 00:07:54.14\00:07:57.74 and there is a cost for canceling integrity. 00:07:58.67\00:08:01.61 And there will be times where the winning situation 00:08:02.74\00:08:05.78 is hard to see. 00:08:05.81\00:08:07.62 In other words, there will be days where electing not 00:08:07.65\00:08:11.15 to work on the Sabbath may cost you your job, 00:08:12.15\00:08:14.86 while working on the Sabbath, might cost you your peace. 00:08:16.06\00:08:18.79 We're sometimes taking the high road 00:08:19.66\00:08:21.96 with your ex may embolden their behavior, 00:08:22.00\00:08:25.50 but putting them on blast may harm your kids. 00:08:26.53\00:08:29.30 There will be times 00:08:29.84\00:08:30.97 where not going to the party may cost you your friends, 00:08:31.01\00:08:34.61 but going may actually put you in danger. 00:08:35.51\00:08:38.35 There are times where neglecting the advances 00:08:38.38\00:08:42.08 of your superior may stifle your career. 00:08:42.12\00:08:45.35 While placating those advances may embolden their advances, 00:08:46.59\00:08:50.29 they're going to be times where dissolving the marriage 00:08:51.49\00:08:53.93 will feel like it is pointless while remaining in the marriage. 00:08:55.13\00:08:58.43 It causes many horrors and health. 00:08:58.47\00:09:00.90 Has anybody ever been in what looks like a no win situation? 00:09:02.17\00:09:05.91 And the brief word to somebody today is this 00:09:06.91\00:09:09.34 is that when there is a penalty for both good and wrong, 00:09:10.48\00:09:13.58 always side with the penalty of righteousness. 00:09:14.62\00:09:17.69 In other words, it is a matter of disappointing 00:09:17.72\00:09:20.89 man or disappointing God always let a man 00:09:20.92\00:09:24.73 get upset with you 00:09:25.23\00:09:26.80 and the truth is that when there is a penalty on both sides, 00:09:26.83\00:09:30.57 you've got to side with the penalty of righteousness. 00:09:31.73\00:09:33.77 Are you here with me today? 00:09:33.80\00:09:35.54 In other words, the penalty of righteousness is passing, 00:09:35.57\00:09:39.37 but the penalty of wickedness is permanent. 00:09:40.38\00:09:42.58 The cost of integrity could move you forward, 00:09:43.55\00:09:46.21 but the cost of canceling it keeps you in circles. 00:09:47.32\00:09:50.02 And the thing I want to say to somebody today, 00:09:51.05\00:09:53.25 when you can't see which way is the winning situation, 00:09:54.42\00:09:57.86 just find out where God is standing. 00:09:58.73\00:10:01.03 In other words, don't look just for the most favorable outcome. 00:10:02.30\00:10:05.23 Recognize that the favor of God is all over your life. 00:10:06.33\00:10:09.67 And when you don't know where to stand, just stand next to God. 00:10:10.91\00:10:13.74 Are you all with me today? 00:10:13.78\00:10:15.64 If I had this happen 00:10:15.68\00:10:17.31 just a little while ago, I was in a hotel this summer 00:10:17.35\00:10:20.42 and while I was there I was by the local pool 00:10:21.38\00:10:24.09 and when I was there there was a family with their little girl. 00:10:25.32\00:10:27.66 The mom was on the edge sunbathing. 00:10:27.69\00:10:30.43 The dad was in the deep in swimming, 00:10:30.46\00:10:32.99 and the little girl was in the middle on her flotation device. 00:10:34.20\00:10:36.87 And as she began to drift there 00:10:36.90\00:10:38.83 toward the deep end of the pool, she got out of her 00:10:38.87\00:10:41.87 flotation device and began to swim around. 00:10:41.90\00:10:45.07 And while she was swimming, the floating device 00:10:46.14\00:10:48.01 went into the deep end of the pool 00:10:48.84\00:10:50.25 and she got to a place where she could not stand up 00:10:51.35\00:10:53.31 in the pool. 00:10:53.35\00:10:54.52 And so she was badly able to keep her head above water. 00:10:54.55\00:10:58.15 And she began to cry out to her mom. 00:10:58.95\00:11:00.79 And her mom said, come back to the edge. 00:11:01.66\00:11:03.43 And she said, 00:11:03.86\00:11:05.09 The edge is too far to get to that sand to go to the device. 00:11:05.13\00:11:08.66 But she was afraid to go to the deep end. 00:11:09.60\00:11:11.47 In other words, it looked like a no win 00:11:12.33\00:11:14.20 because she didn't have the strength to get to the edge 00:11:15.34\00:11:17.34 and she was afraid to go in the deep end. 00:11:18.27\00:11:20.14 But because that was already swimming in the deep end, 00:11:21.31\00:11:23.81 inherently, she swam in the deep end 00:11:24.61\00:11:27.12 just to get to where her daddy was, 00:11:27.95\00:11:29.72 and can also just sense that when you can't see 00:11:30.72\00:11:32.95 help on the shore and the water is too deep, 00:11:32.99\00:11:36.62 even if your daddy is in the deep end, 00:11:37.53\00:11:39.66 I just need you to find out where daddy is 00:11:40.63\00:11:43.06 and swim toward him. 00:11:43.60\00:11:45.20 Because in Jesus, you find your help. 00:11:45.23\00:11:48.10 Are you hearing me today? 00:11:49.50\00:11:50.37 Thanks. 00:11:50.41\00:11:51.24 And so go with me back to Genesis 39 00:11:51.27\00:11:54.24 as we unpack the word of the living God. 00:11:55.18\00:11:57.65 Genesis 39 And I want you to look together 00:11:58.55\00:12:00.98 with me at verse six, Genesis 39. 00:12:01.02\00:12:04.19 In verse six, when you say, Pastor, I'm here, 00:12:04.22\00:12:06.39 the Bible says thus he left all that 00:12:07.49\00:12:10.29 he had in Joseph's hand, and he did not know what he had 00:12:10.33\00:12:14.96 except for the bread which he ate. 00:12:15.80\00:12:17.60 Now the Bible says that Joseph was handsome 00:12:18.57\00:12:20.84 in form and appearance, and it came to pass. 00:12:20.87\00:12:25.27 What after these things that his master's 00:12:25.31\00:12:29.14 wife cast longing eyes on Joseph. 00:12:29.18\00:12:33.05 And she said, lie with me now understand. 00:12:34.02\00:12:37.19 Today, friends, 00:12:37.22\00:12:38.45 there are four brief principles I want to espouse to you today. 00:12:38.49\00:12:42.82 But the first thing this story teaches 00:12:43.73\00:12:45.36 is that your natural gifts make you noticeable, 00:12:46.39\00:12:49.10 but it is your spiritual gifts that make you irresistible. 00:12:50.33\00:12:52.87 Let me say it again 00:12:52.90\00:12:54.07 that it is your natural gifts that make you noticeable, 00:12:54.10\00:12:58.04 but it is your spiritual gifts that make you irresistible. 00:12:59.27\00:13:02.38 Now, to be clear, Saints, that the Scripture essentially 00:13:03.58\00:13:06.41 gives us the macro of the event, but it doesn't give us 00:13:06.45\00:13:10.85 every detail that leads to this particular occasion. 00:13:10.89\00:13:15.62 Now, when you look at Genesis 39, remember 00:13:15.66\00:13:19.43 that Joseph has been killing it in the house of Potter 00:13:19.46\00:13:23.43 for in fact, God has given him the Midas touch 00:13:23.47\00:13:27.67 so that everything he touches gets blessed. 00:13:28.67\00:13:31.47 In other words, every assignment he oversees prospers. 00:13:32.57\00:13:36.04 Every objective he has goes to the next level. 00:13:37.08\00:13:40.32 And the Bible says, Notice it that after these things 00:13:41.48\00:13:45.42 that Potter for his wife, casts longing eyes upon him. 00:13:46.52\00:13:50.13 In other words, the implication is that she 00:13:51.13\00:13:54.36 doesn't just see him one day physically and have to have him. 00:13:54.36\00:13:59.53 There is a progression that takes place. 00:14:00.54\00:14:02.74 In other words, the Bible says that she cast 00:14:03.74\00:14:05.81 longing eyes upon him. 00:14:06.37\00:14:08.81 In fact, 00:14:09.11\00:14:10.28 that word cast in the Hebrew is a very strange construct. 00:14:10.31\00:14:14.45 It literally means to lift up your eyes 00:14:15.35\00:14:18.05 or to lift up one's hair. 00:14:18.69\00:14:20.39 In fact, what it literally implies 00:14:21.22\00:14:23.12 is that there is a lifting of the veil from her eyes 00:14:24.26\00:14:27.66 so that she changes the way that she sees Joseph. 00:14:28.76\00:14:32.57 Over time, she begins to look upon him in a different way. 00:14:33.80\00:14:37.44 In other words, his good looks make him noticeable, 00:14:38.54\00:14:41.58 but it is his character that makes him irresistible. 00:14:42.71\00:14:46.05 You see, understand that if this attraction 00:14:46.95\00:14:49.98 was just physical, there were a thousand 00:14:50.02\00:14:53.15 brothers in Egypt that would scratch this. 00:14:53.19\00:14:56.52 It's that Potter for his wife has. 00:14:56.56\00:14:58.66 But a part of this attraction 00:14:59.36\00:15:01.23 is that he isn't just good looking. 00:15:01.26\00:15:03.87 There is something about Joseph 00:15:04.57\00:15:06.50 that is unquantifiable that draws her into him. 00:15:07.47\00:15:11.34 In other words, Joseph's success 00:15:12.04\00:15:13.98 is actually an aphrodisiac, 00:15:14.64\00:15:17.08 and his innocence has a way of drawing her in. 00:15:18.11\00:15:21.05 When Joseph talks, he just makes sense 00:15:21.95\00:15:24.29 and his wisdom is causing arousal. 00:15:25.12\00:15:27.66 And understand that Joseph's anointing is so powerful 00:15:28.79\00:15:32.76 that Joseph becomes sexy even to a woman who is wicked 00:15:33.93\00:15:37.60 and understand that there is 00:15:38.73\00:15:40.34 an unconscious chemistry that begins to build over time. 00:15:40.37\00:15:44.67 Because she begins to see Joseph not just as a slave 00:15:45.74\00:15:48.94 or a houseboy, but she sees him as someone 00:15:48.98\00:15:52.21 that is worthy of her company and companionship. 00:15:53.28\00:15:55.95 So much so that she puts him on the same plane 00:15:56.99\00:15:59.69 with the heads of state 00:16:00.32\00:16:01.62 and means of power in the land of Egypt. 00:16:01.66\00:16:04.76 And you know how it is with attraction that most time 00:16:05.89\00:16:08.80 it starts out unconscious or involuntary so that it first 00:16:08.83\00:16:14.00 she just finds herself unconsciously checking her hair. 00:16:14.04\00:16:18.41 Whenever Joseph walks into a room. 00:16:19.24\00:16:21.21 After a while, whenever she hugs Joseph, 00:16:22.14\00:16:24.65 she lingers to inhale his cologne. 00:16:25.48\00:16:27.75 After a while, she creates encounters 00:16:28.62\00:16:31.19 just to be in Joseph's company. 00:16:31.89\00:16:34.16 But now this attraction develops into a broil, where it goes 00:16:35.36\00:16:39.46 from an unconscious attraction to an outright demand. 00:16:39.49\00:16:44.57 And understand young people. 00:16:45.23\00:16:46.60 The larger idea is this that his natural gifts get him noticed. 00:16:46.63\00:16:51.71 But it is who he is that makes him irresistible. 00:16:52.77\00:16:55.61 And let me just say this to be clear, 00:16:56.41\00:16:58.01 that there is nothing wrong with having swag. 00:16:59.05\00:17:01.28 There's nothing wrong with having a good physique. 00:17:02.38\00:17:04.39 There's nothing wrong with having a wardrobe. 00:17:05.35\00:17:07.36 That is not me. 00:17:07.39\00:17:08.89 But be clear that what you have naturally makes you noticeable. 00:17:08.92\00:17:14.00 But it is who you are that makes you irresistible. 00:17:15.10\00:17:17.70 In other words, your physical gifts 00:17:18.57\00:17:20.34 may give you a good first impression, 00:17:21.14\00:17:23.04 but it is your character that gives you a lasting impression. 00:17:23.07\00:17:27.04 And I want somebody to understand that this doesn't 00:17:28.11\00:17:30.45 just show up in your romantic exchanges. 00:17:30.48\00:17:33.88 It's actually true for every area of your life. 00:17:34.92\00:17:37.39 In other words, it is your natural gifts 00:17:38.25\00:17:40.16 that may make you noticeable to an employer, 00:17:41.16\00:17:43.32 but it is your competence that makes you irresistible 00:17:44.49\00:17:47.30 to the employer. 00:17:47.73\00:17:48.66 You are human. 00:17:48.70\00:17:49.63 That network may get your foot in the door, 00:17:49.66\00:17:52.67 but it is the favor of God that keeps you in the door. 00:17:53.84\00:17:56.67 It may be natural gas that give a good first impression, 00:17:57.81\00:18:01.18 but it is 00:18:01.54\00:18:02.64 the character of Christ that gives you grace over time. 00:18:02.68\00:18:05.48 You are not here with me yet. 00:18:06.18\00:18:07.12 In other words, it is that dude in the gym 00:18:07.15\00:18:10.15 that gets the good first impression. 00:18:11.02\00:18:12.69 But it is the brother 00:18:13.25\00:18:14.22 on Dean's list that has a lasting impression. 00:18:14.26\00:18:17.43 In other words, it may be the guy that works out 00:18:18.43\00:18:21.60 that gets the girl freshman year, but it is the man 00:18:22.63\00:18:25.07 with work ethic that has her senior year. 00:18:25.10\00:18:28.17 In other words, this it may 00:18:29.27\00:18:31.11 be thirst trap pictures that get him in your team, 00:18:31.14\00:18:34.91 but it is your character that gets him on one knee. 00:18:36.01\00:18:38.18 Not here. Me yet. 00:18:38.68\00:18:39.75 Oh. In other words, it may be being a Delta 00:18:39.78\00:18:43.52 or a Kappa that gets the door open, 00:18:43.55\00:18:46.25 but it is serving the Alpha and Omega 00:18:47.16\00:18:49.09 that gets you serving before keys. 00:18:49.92\00:18:51.96 And what I'm saying to somebody today 00:18:52.79\00:18:54.60 is don't deal from the outside in, 00:18:55.43\00:18:57.87 but you got to build from the inside out. 00:18:58.80\00:19:00.87 Do I have a witness that it is the anointing that breaks 00:19:02.07\00:19:04.47 the yoke? 00:19:04.51\00:19:05.41 It is the anointing that breaks the tie. 00:19:06.34\00:19:08.18 It is the Holy Ghost that puts you over the top. 00:19:09.24\00:19:11.31 And don't just focus on the natural. 00:19:12.18\00:19:14.65 You got to make investments in the spiritual level 00:19:15.75\00:19:17.79 with me today church 00:19:18.32\00:19:18.82 and so friends, as we unpack this thing today. 00:19:19.85\00:19:22.66 The second thing I need somebody to get is never worsen 00:19:23.79\00:19:27.60 a bad situation through bad selection. 00:19:27.60\00:19:31.53 No, no, no, no. 00:19:32.17\00:19:32.83 Let me say it. We all hear it. 00:19:32.87\00:19:34.54 Never worsen a bad situation 00:19:34.57\00:19:38.14 by making bad selections. 00:19:38.77\00:19:41.28 Not now. 00:19:41.68\00:19:42.68 What somebody needs to get is not if it's not 00:19:42.71\00:19:45.45 bad situations that destroy you. 00:19:45.48\00:19:48.55 It's the bad selections you make in the situation 00:19:49.65\00:19:53.19 that destroy you. 00:19:53.22\00:19:54.86 In other words, a bad situation may put you to the edge, 00:19:54.89\00:19:59.19 but it is poor selections that puts you over the edge. 00:20:00.36\00:20:03.43 And young people hear me on this. 00:20:04.17\00:20:05.83 You should never let your selections mirror 00:20:05.87\00:20:09.17 your situation. 00:20:09.20\00:20:11.27 In fact, the worse your situation, 00:20:11.31\00:20:14.51 the better your selections need to be. 00:20:15.41\00:20:17.68 In other words, when you find yourself 00:20:18.58\00:20:20.72 in a pinch, you've got to avoid what I call embracing 00:20:20.75\00:20:25.45 might as well syndrome. 00:20:26.02\00:20:29.62 In other words, what might as well syndrome is, 00:20:29.66\00:20:33.70 is when you have a bunch of bad things break your way 00:20:34.76\00:20:38.03 and you get discouraged, it's because of the bad things 00:20:39.23\00:20:41.77 you say, I might as well do a bad mistake or selection. 00:20:42.94\00:20:47.48 So let me give you an example of this job's wife 00:20:48.54\00:20:50.71 had might as well syndrome and other words 00:20:51.68\00:20:54.45 remember that Joe now has lost all of his money. 00:20:54.48\00:20:58.62 He has lost all of his career. 00:20:59.32\00:21:01.12 He has lost all of his kids. 00:21:01.79\00:21:03.59 And Job's wife, as he is sick, says 00:21:04.36\00:21:06.13 you might as well just curse God and die. 00:21:06.16\00:21:10.13 Abraham and Sarah might as well syndrome. 00:21:11.03\00:21:14.40 Because they were both up in number 00:21:15.27\00:21:17.14 and none of their machinery was working 00:21:18.07\00:21:20.04 and God was taking too long to repair that. 00:21:20.94\00:21:23.48 They said, we might as well form 00:21:23.51\00:21:26.51 a threesome with our handmade Hagar. 00:21:26.55\00:21:29.25 Remember that Judas had a might as well syndrome 00:21:30.32\00:21:33.15 when he realized that he could not undo what had been done 00:21:34.39\00:21:37.46 and they would not give him not take the money back. 00:21:38.59\00:21:40.50 Essentially, instead of repenting, he said, I 00:21:41.40\00:21:43.53 might as well just kill myself. 00:21:43.57\00:21:46.40 Instead of repenting and turning to the Lord. 00:21:47.34\00:21:49.40 It was bad selection that worsened the situation. 00:21:50.47\00:21:54.68 And see friends, I need you to see this 00:21:55.58\00:21:57.65 in the life of the story of Joseph, because understand that 00:21:58.85\00:22:02.12 Joseph's life has been nothing but 00:22:02.15\00:22:05.15 one of concentrated traumas. 00:22:05.19\00:22:08.29 Do you all remember now that because of the favor 00:22:09.39\00:22:12.13 he had with his father, 00:22:12.16\00:22:14.10 he experiences the rejection of his brothers? 00:22:14.10\00:22:17.50 You realize that he has survived the assassination attempt 00:22:18.67\00:22:21.60 of his own flesh and blood. 00:22:22.27\00:22:23.94 He has been put into a pit and left to die. 00:22:23.97\00:22:27.58 He has been sold into slavery and a land that is not his own. 00:22:28.81\00:22:32.78 And understand that these are not minor offenses. 00:22:33.88\00:22:36.85 These are actually view 00:22:37.42\00:22:38.65 shaping occurrences that have the capacity 00:22:38.69\00:22:42.32 to change him into something that he is not. 00:22:43.32\00:22:45.79 And see, friends, 00:22:46.29\00:22:47.40 this is what happens when there is mounting difficulties. 00:22:47.46\00:22:51.17 There is always a bit to what? 00:22:51.87\00:22:54.24 Whatever experience creates some relief or escape 00:22:54.27\00:22:58.71 from the troubles that I am actually facing. 00:22:59.71\00:23:02.21 And the reason I'm saying this about Joseph 00:23:03.18\00:23:05.28 is because if anybody, from a human standpoint, 00:23:06.25\00:23:09.82 had a right to look at what is happened in their life 00:23:10.95\00:23:14.42 and to evaluate everything that went wrong, 00:23:15.42\00:23:18.06 if anybody had a right to say, But God, 00:23:18.96\00:23:21.70 I might as well smash Potter for his wife. 00:23:22.66\00:23:24.80 It was Joseph. 00:23:25.23\00:23:27.57 Are you hearing me today? 00:23:27.60\00:23:29.04 And he might as well. 00:23:29.07\00:23:30.81 Syndrome is a reaction to a difficult circumstance 00:23:30.84\00:23:35.81 that informs our selection. 00:23:36.48\00:23:38.25 In other words, it is when we are romantically lonely 00:23:39.38\00:23:42.58 and we don't see any prospects 00:23:43.65\00:23:45.65 on the horizon and you don't see nobody in church. 00:23:45.69\00:23:49.46 And so you say, I might as well date outside of the faith. 00:23:50.63\00:23:53.90 It is where money is tight 00:23:54.73\00:23:56.83 and doors are closing and you don't see your way. 00:23:56.87\00:24:00.50 And you say, I might as well take my last 00:24:01.44\00:24:03.44 hundred dollar bill to the casino. 00:24:03.47\00:24:05.51 It is in that place where discouragement 00:24:06.44\00:24:09.61 is multiplied and sorrows are many. 00:24:09.64\00:24:13.08 And you sit literally at the bar stool and say, 00:24:14.05\00:24:16.48 I might as well get wasted on a plaster. 00:24:16.52\00:24:19.52 It is where 00:24:19.92\00:24:21.12 students you've waited till the last moment for the paper 00:24:21.16\00:24:24.26 and you feel like if you don't, I'm going to fail. 00:24:25.29\00:24:27.30 So I might as well let GPT write this term paper for me. 00:24:28.43\00:24:31.80 In other words, it is literally couples 00:24:32.67\00:24:34.50 that scenario where you're saying 00:24:35.34\00:24:36.54 he ain't giving me no attention and she ain't giving me none. 00:24:36.57\00:24:40.51 So I might as well step outside of my marriage 00:24:41.54\00:24:44.21 and it is where we allow a difficult circumstance 00:24:45.21\00:24:49.25 to be multiplied. 00:24:49.75\00:24:51.32 But the desperation of our selection and see 00:24:51.35\00:24:54.76 what makes my this well syndrome powerful is the belief 00:24:54.79\00:25:00.06 that it can't get any worse than what it is. 00:25:01.03\00:25:03.47 And see this is the word to somebody today, 00:25:04.37\00:25:07.10 because you are about 00:25:07.67\00:25:08.77 to make a decision that says, I might as well. 00:25:08.80\00:25:12.81 It can't get any worse. 00:25:13.38\00:25:15.01 I need somebody to know. 00:25:15.04\00:25:16.71 It can always get worse than what it is. 00:25:16.75\00:25:20.08 See, I know you to know that you may think that you hit 00:25:21.22\00:25:23.79 rock bottom, but the truth is, you can always go deeper. 00:25:23.82\00:25:28.26 That hole can always get wider. 00:25:28.96\00:25:31.23 The consequences can always be greater. 00:25:32.13\00:25:34.63 And you've got to be careful 00:25:34.66\00:25:36.50 not to let your selection worsen your situation. 00:25:36.53\00:25:41.30 Because remember, Church, God has promised that 00:25:42.47\00:25:45.21 he'll never place more on you than what you are able to bear. 00:25:45.24\00:25:49.58 In other words, it is not the situation that kills you. 00:25:50.78\00:25:53.75 It is the selection you make that overtakes you. 00:25:54.82\00:25:57.49 And other words, 00:25:57.92\00:25:59.02 notice that Joseph has survived his brother's betrayal. 00:25:59.05\00:26:02.29 He has survived the slavery in Egypt. 00:26:03.19\00:26:05.56 He has survived his assignments upon offer. 00:26:06.49\00:26:08.86 But the one thing he can't survive is the consequence 00:26:10.00\00:26:13.13 of laying down with that man's wife. 00:26:13.17\00:26:15.60 And see. 00:26:16.67\00:26:17.14 One of the things 00:26:17.17\00:26:18.34 I want to say to somebody who finds themselves in a jam, 00:26:18.37\00:26:21.41 who finds themself in a tough situation, you've got to 00:26:22.51\00:26:25.05 pray, Lord, earnestly, will you guide my selection? 00:26:25.08\00:26:28.98 Lord, would you please guide my decision? 00:26:29.92\00:26:32.35 Because God is saying 00:26:32.92\00:26:34.02 that I can change the situation instantly. 00:26:34.06\00:26:37.59 But what lengthens the trial of the selections 00:26:38.63\00:26:41.66 you make while you are in the situation? 00:26:41.70\00:26:44.97 In other words, friends of mine, 00:26:45.77\00:26:46.94 I need to say to somebody who is in a difficult circumstance, 00:26:46.97\00:26:49.74 when you got to make some selections, 00:26:50.61\00:26:51.77 you got to be careful about what friends you listen to. 00:26:51.81\00:26:54.71 Okay. 00:26:56.01\00:26:56.81 Yeah. Know, actually brand new today. 00:26:56.85\00:26:58.11 In fact, one of the worst things that can happen 00:26:58.15\00:27:00.72 is for you to be in a bad situation 00:27:01.48\00:27:04.25 with a bunch of friends 00:27:04.82\00:27:05.95 giving you advice that ain't never worked out for them. 00:27:05.99\00:27:09.32 In other words, I need you to hear me. 00:27:10.23\00:27:12.16 If you're in a bad financial situation, 00:27:13.06\00:27:15.06 don't take no advice from people borrowing money from you. 00:27:16.23\00:27:18.23 I hear me today. 00:27:18.27\00:27:19.87 In other words, if you're in an academic crisis, 00:27:19.90\00:27:22.67 don't get mentored 00:27:22.70\00:27:24.11 by somebody that's worse off in school than you are 00:27:24.14\00:27:27.54 when you find your marriage in trouble, 00:27:28.48\00:27:30.41 the worst thing you can do 00:27:31.05\00:27:32.18 is get advice from somebody who has never been married 00:27:32.21\00:27:35.88 or somebody that has already lost. 00:27:36.72\00:27:38.59 Are yall hearing 00:27:38.62\00:27:39.82 what I'm saying today? Thank you for joining us for The Breath 00:27:39.85\00:27:43.09 of Life Television Ministries broadcast with Pastor 00:27:43.12\00:27:46.66 Debleaire Snell. 00:27:46.70\00:27:47.93 We hope and pray 00:27:47.96\00:27:49.03 that you have been blessed by this powerful message. 00:27:49.06\00:27:52.27 Join us next week for part two of the message 00:27:53.27\00:27:56.00 “A No Win Situation.”You don't want to miss it 00:27:56.04\00:27:59.91