Dealing with Disillusionment

Sometimes you're on top of the world. Sometimes the world's on top of you. If you're facing one of life's challenges today, then stay with us now on Destined for Victory as Pastor Paul Shepherd shares his message dealing with disillusionment.

His message comes your way next, but first, he's been kind enough to join me from his studio in California. Pastor, I know your heart is encouraged by so many of our friends who are listening and letting us know that Destined for Victory is having an impact on their lives. So, everyone, and remind me, why are you so committed to using media as such a big part of this ministry? Pastor Paul Shepherd Well, you know, we've got to realize we who are boomers. I'm a baby boomer, born between 46 and 64. That's our generation.

And I realized that we were the last generation in American history that was typically raised in church or in some religious training. And we've got three full generations under us. And now there's an emerging fourth generation. They're still growing. They're still growing. They're still being developed. They're known as Generation Alpha.

My first grandchild is an alpha baby. And so I realized that with these three, four generations, we've got to preach the gospel to. They're not inclined to come to church and hear the gospel.

A few will. But the vast majority of them are probably going to have to be reached where they are before we can get them into the life of a church. So technology is very important to the end that we can reach them with the good news of Jesus Christ. That's what it's all about, Pastor, reaching as many people as we can with the gospel. You know, media can often go where missionaries cannot, into the homes of elderly shut-ins or those who have no way of getting to church.

It can also travel into remote areas of the world that are often hostile to the Christian faith. Just one more reason why your gifts to Destin for Victory are so critical to the cause of Christ. For your generous gift to Destin for Victory today, we'd like to send you Pastor Paul's DVD message, Influencers for Christ. Call 855-339-5500 or visit pastorpaul.net to make a safe and secure donation online. You can also mail your gift to Destin for Victory, Post Office Box 1767, Fremont, California 94538.

Again, the address, Destin for Victory, Box 1767, Fremont, California 94538. Many are the afflictions of the righteous. Yes, the Lord will bring us out of them, but you're going to go through them before you get out of them. And what we have to learn to do is to worship God while we're going through difficulties. Before God can lead you to something, you will very often have to lead you through something. Today on Destin for Victory, Pastor Paul Shepherd wants to encourage you to learn to praise God in spite of your circumstances, not because of them. Let's listen closely now as he shares today's Destin for Victory message, Dealing with Disillusionment.

Dealing with Disillusionment. Now, this whole business of hallelujah anyhow is my way of helping you understand that worship can't always be glib and just an expression of happiness. Happiness is great. When you're happy, milk it for all it's worth. But we all know there are times in our lives when the way things are going, you're not happy. But you can still learn to worship God in spite of the lack of happiness.

And that's my whole suggestion here. We have to learn to respond well, not only when life is great, we have to learn to respond well when life is challenging, when life is difficult. And the fact of the matter is, the Bible is very, very clear about the fact that just because you're saved doesn't mean you're in heaven yet.

We got to get that. I'm still running into Christians who expect because they're saved, everything is supposed to be wonderful. No, no, read your Bible carefully. Your Bible is full of people dealing with challenges and dealing with difficulties and dealing with all sorts of things. Many are the afflictions of the righteous. Yes, the Lord will bring us out of them, but you're going to go through them before you get out of them. And what we have to learn to do is to worship God while we're going through difficulties. Here's a saying I want you to write down, I want you to notice. You can be in the center of God's will and yet experience all sorts of trials and difficulties that you don't understand.

I'm going to put it on the screen for 30 seconds, somebody's running and trying to get their pen. All right, you can be in the center of God's will and yet experience all sorts of trials and difficulties that you don't understand. The fact of the matter is just because you're saved and just because you're in the center of God's will doesn't mean everything goes well. In fact, some gospel artist wrote the safest place in the whole wide world is in the will of God.

But just because it's safe doesn't mean it's fun. Sometime I'm in the center of God's will and I'm having a horrible time. Sometime I'm in the center of God's will and I'm going from one trial into another one. Sometimes I'm in the center of his will and I'm sick.

Sometimes I'm in the center of his will and people tap dancing on all the nerves I got. And the fact of the matter is saints, you can be in the center of God's will and yet experience all sorts of trials and difficulties that you don't understand. In both the Old Testament and the New, you'll find disillusioned men and women who serve the Lord. They don't stay disillusioned all their life but they go through seasons.

They go through valley seasons. They go through difficult times. And we have to learn that the proper response can be hallelujah.

Why? Because God is not just worthy of praise when we're feeling great. He's worthy of praise when we're going through all kinds of stuff. We talked about dealing with frustration. We looked at Hannah. We talked about dealing with labels. We looked at blind Bartimaeus and people who will put a label on you and make a difficult life even worse. I talked about all the folks who carry, even when God delivers them, people still call them by what they used to be. Rahab the harlot.

She didn't stay a harlot but we still talk about the harlot. Blind Bartimaeus. The Lord gave him sight. We still talk about blind Bartimaeus. Naaman was a leper.

God cleansed him from leprosy. So we just got to learn to get delivered from these things and say hallelujah anyhow even when you're in frustration, even when people are putting labels on you. So I just want to walk you through very quickly three examples. There are many in scripture but three examples of disillusioned people. Example number one is a guy named Job.

Guy named Job. Now this part of this message is for those of you who are saying I did nothing to deserve this. Those of you who are going through something, whatever that something is and what you're saying to yourself is God I don't get it.

I'm saved, I love you and I'm doing your will and what I'm going through, there's no way I deserve this. Well fact of the matter is I came to tell you, you don't go through stuff because you deserve it. None of us go through stuff. How wonderful would it be if you could do all the right things, you don't go through any trouble. Only people going through trouble are folk who did something dumb. No, that's not the way life is. You can have crossed every T, dotted every I, done everything right all week, all month, all year and you end up going through something where you say I did nothing to deserve this.

This first point is for you. I want you to know the Bible says about Job in chapter one of his book you'll find that it says he was blameless, he was upright. That means he was morally sound and he feared God and he shunned evil. All four things are said about him.

Blameless, upright, feared God, shunned evil and he had seven sons, three daughters. His possessions, he had 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, a very large household that is servants. Bunch of folk worked for him. In our day, Job would be a billionaire, not a millionaire. Dude was rich. His ends hung out all the time. They weren't trying to meet, they hung out at one another's houses.

Billionaire by today's standards. Look at this functional family. Verse four of Job one tells you his sons would go feast in their homes on the appointed days and this show you is a functional family and they would send, invite their three sisters to come. Now you know that's a functional family. The boys having a feast and call their sister and say well y'all come on over because you know some of y'all's family you'd be like I wish they would come to my house.

But anyway, functional family, everything going well. Why did I pick this out? Because some of y'all are going through a season where you say I don't get it, I don't see, with the way I'm living I'm doing the best I can, I'm doing what God wants me to do. I can't imagine that I deserve this. You don't live life based on what you deserve. Life deals you the hand it deals you.

And so you're going to have to play that hand. And so his life is going well for him, for his family. In fact, after his kids would have these feasts, he would sacrifice to the Lord on behalf of his kids. He served as a priest of his home. So in case they messed up, I don't want God mad at them. And he would offer sacrifice on behalf of his children.

What a functional family. And yet, you know what happened to Job, I don't have time to walk you all the way through it. You know what happened to Job? The enemy met with the sons of God in the heavenlies. And Satan was just hanging out listening for what he can do to get into something. And God actually enticed him. God said, have you considered my servant Job?

Have you seen Job? Have you seen how blessed he is? And Satan said, oh, the only reason he's blessed is because you won't let me get to him.

And you know the story. Bottom line is God said, fine. You want to go after his stuff and the resources that are his family? He said, go ahead. I'm going to show you that he doesn't serve me just because everything's going well. We'll be right back with more of today's Destined for Victory message from Pastor Paul Shepherd, who is Senior Pastor at Destiny Christian Fellowship in Fremont, California. Listen to the broadcast on demand at pastorpaul.net.

That's pastorpaul.net, where you'll also find a host of great resources at our online store. Now, here's Pastor Paul with the rest of today's message, Dealing with Disillusionment. And so when the enemy got involved, you know what happened. At the end of the enemy's assault, all 10 children are dead.

Storms have come. All of Job's possessions are lost. Goes from a billionaire to broke.

From 10 happy kids to no children. Can you imagine? But look at verse 20 of Job 1. Then Job arose, tore his robe, shaved his head, fell to the ground and did what? And worshiped. See, worship isn't a function of feelings.

It's got to be a function of maturity. He said the Lord gave. The Lord took away. Now, he didn't know that actually Satan took away because he wasn't party to what happened in the heavenlies. But he knew God had to permit it.

That's what you got to know about your life. Don't say, I don't know why God did this to me. Who said God did it? Sometimes the devil did it, but God let him do it.

Why? Because he knows that if you let your faith grow up, you'll learn to worship not only when you're excited. You'll learn to worship when you are going through hell with gasoline drawers on. And you got to learn that that is the way God has called his people to live, to be able to say hallelujah anyhow. I hate what I'm going through, but I'm going to bless God anyhow. Some of us have to learn to bless God just because.

You just got to learn. Sometimes you bless God just to make the devil mad. He's sitting and looking and waiting to see you curse God, and you got to bless God instead of cursing him.

You got to bless him and praise his name and say, Lord, I bless you anyhow. I worship you anyhow. I'm not worshiping you because of all the time. Sometimes I have to worship you in spite of what I'm dealing with. And brothers and sisters, we have to learn the lesson of Job, and I need you to understand that those of you who are saying, I did nothing to deserve this, quit thinking life has something to do with what you deserve.

Some of y'all got to stop that. I've been living right. I deserve. I hear singles. I deserve a good man.

What? Live right because it's better than living wrong. Now in terms of a man, pray and say, Lord, I would love to be the companion of a godly quality paid brother, but I don't get to form or shape him and create him, so if there is a brother, and you would be pleased to have us find one another, God have your way. Or you who come from places where marriage is arranged, see what your parents and your relatives can hook you up with. Hey, one time I was preaching a series of singles here, and I told my singles here, let me know if you want the pastor to arrange your marriage.

They said, we love you and all. I think I'm going to pick my own. Listen, you don't get what you deserve in life. Quit thinking it's about deserving because let's be honest, folks. If we get what we deserve, thank you. Thank you for that honesty. If we get what we deserve, all us going to be in worse shape than we are right now.

Do yourself a favor. Don't ask God to give you what you deserve. I'll never forget one time I heard a minister saying, God, they were going through a tough time, and say, God, look on my life and give me what I deserve. I said, oh, Lord, don't look on my life and do that, please. Because he ain't just going to look at you at your best.

He's going to look at you when you made your dumbest mistakes. I need one or two people to be honest enough to say, I'm not asking God to look on my life and reward me according to my whole life. No, no.

No, no. Thank you for your grace anyhow. Thank you that you blessed me anyhow.

Thank you that you made a way anyhow. So don't ask for what you deserve. Thank God for the unmerited grace of God. So for those of you who said I did nothing to deserve this, I want you to look at Job's example and realize you got to praise God anyhow. It's not about what you're going through. It's about the one you need to get you through it. He alone can get you through it, so you got to worship him. Don't get mad at God because you're going through. Don't go on a strike. I used to go to church, but my life took a turn for the worse, so why should I even bother going to church?

Here's your answer. Of course, your life took a turn for the worse. It took a turn for the worse, and you're going to stay home on strike from God?

Are you kidding? You need to be the first one in the parking lot. Deacons haven't even opened the church yet.

First one in the city. I was wondering when y'all was going to get here and followed him right in the building. Sir's not going to start for an hour.

That's all right. I'm going to sit in my seat and wait because you need the Lord. You need the Lord more when you're going through than when you're having a good time. You need him all the time, but when your life breaks out into all kind of trouble, don't think you're supposed to get mad at God. That's the time that you've got to say, Lord, I need you now like never before. All right, let me take you to number two.

Example number two. A guy I talk about a lot in the Bible. His name is Joseph.

Now, those of you who need to follow Job's lead are people who say, I did nothing to deserve this. Those of you who need to follow Joseph's lead are people who are wondering, when will this nightmare end? Some of you are going through a nightmare season right now, and that's what's on your heart.

Okay, all right, I get it. There are seasons of trouble. This isn't a season. This is a year.

This isn't a year. This is a whole group of years that I've been going through this trouble. When will this long, drawn out, can't-wake-up-from-it nightmare end? Anybody ever been there? Some of you there right now. When is this going to end? Okay, sure. I got to go through this trial like everybody else, but aren't trials supposed to have an expiration date on them?

This trial has no expiration in sight. For those of you who are feeling that way, I want you to consider Joseph. Joseph starts out a spoiled brat, favored son of a prominent man named Jacob. He is spoiled.

Their family is paid, doing well. Father bought him a Versace coat. The Bible said coat of many colors, and his father spoils him so much and loves him more than his other sons that the boy actually goes out. The father said, go out and check on your brothers to see how they're doing in the family business. He go out acting like he a supervisor. He the youngest one.

Come out with a Versace robe on, supervising older kids. You know that's not going to work. But God was setting something up, and he took the hatred his brothers had toward him and said, I'm going to use that for my own glory. I can tell you, sometimes what you're going through makes no sense to you, but God knows exactly why he's sending you through that. And so bottom line is, you know the story.

Read it in Genesis 37. Brothers say, let's kill him. I'm sick of this boy. Let's kill him. And they get ready to throw him in a dry well in a pit that he can't get himself out of, and they were just going to leave him to die. And then they said, no, no, let's not shed his blood. We just want to get rid of him. And so ultimately, one of the brothers pulls him out of the pit, says, no, brothers, we're not going to leave him to die.

We are going to sell him. Merchants coming down the road, they pull out Joseph and drag him to the merchants and say, you can have him for an amount of money, and they make money selling their brother. What they don't know is that they were foreshadowing something in redemptive history that Judas made money to sell Jesus. But anyway, they made money, and they went back home and thinking, okay, we got rid of this little spoiled brat, and all's going to be well.

The merchants take him to Egypt, where they sell him to an official under Pharaoh named Potiphar, and he becomes a servant, a slave in Potiphar's house. But the Bible says about it, but the Lord was with Joseph. I can't tell somebody who's feeling like a slave, who's feeling like you've been thrown aside or forsaken or done wrong or betrayed or abused, and you know all the gory details of what people did wrong to you. Some of you all are spending your life rehearsing what somebody did, and the fact of the matter is there are going to be such people throughout your journey on earth. You're never going to do the will of God with everybody happy with you, never. There's no such thing as the world.

Who doesn't love this person? There are some folk, and if you haven't met yours yet, they coming. Pastor, don't put that on me. I'm telling you the truth. Your enemies are coming.

They lined up offstage. You don't see them because they're off the stage of your life, but just as sure as you get to a certain place, God's going to say, you go out, and they come out there, and they're going to wreak havoc in your life, play their role, and then they're going to go off, and that's what happened with Joseph, finds himself in Potiphar's house as a slave, but because the Lord's with him, he works his way up, and he becomes the chief servant in that house, so what started like a dark and difficult time at least, it's taken enough of a positive turn where he now is in charge of many things in that home, and all is looking good until Sister Potiphar comes off the side of the stage and comes into the picture. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Let the words of King David comfort you today.

God is with you, and because He is, you never have to be afraid. Thanks so much for being here for Pastor Paul Shepherd's message, Dealing with Disillusionment. If you'd like more information about Destin for Victory and our special thank you gift for your generous donation, please visit pastorpaul.net. That's pastorpaul.net.

Let me tell you something. You serve a God you will never completely understand. It's not for favor. Quit trying to figure God out. Trying to say, Lord, if you love me, no.

He does love you, and the rest of the sentence may make no sense to you at all. That's Monday when Pastor Paul Shepherd continues this message, Dealing with Disillusionment. Until then, remember, he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. In Christ, you are destined for victory.