Welcome to Leading the Way with Pastor, International Bible Teacher, and Evangelist Dr. Michael Youssef. Look around, and you can easily see that hope is missing from society. Discouragement has a grip on so many lives and homes, but God offers and delivers hope through prayer.
So, get ready to experience a renewed feeling of hope as you listen to Dr. Michael Youssef's new series on prayer. Call on me. And do keep in mind, leading the way is listen or support it. Dr.
Youssef and the worldwide teams rely on God's provision through God's people. Learn how you can stand with Dr. Youssef when you call us 866-626-4356 or when you go to ltw.org. Right now though, listen with me as Dr. Michael Youssef begins this challenging series.
Probably there is more subject that is preached from or taught. about than the subject of prayer. And yet most Christians do very little of it. And I hope that you're not going to take this message or the series of messages as guilt-inducing. About your prayer life.
I Urge you to begin to listen with fresh ears and Read the scripture with fresh eyes so that The Holy Spirit can truly transform your life and mine. From his word. Because I know and you know. that even in the media today The Word prayer. It's kind of used as a catch-all.
And the view of prayer as means by which they can use God to serve their purpose. They think Then Prayer is a way by which they can use God. To serve their wills. They use God as a slot machine. You put the prayer in and you get the answer out.
Truly. I know you know what I'm talking about. I mean, they try to use God instead of giving us. giving him control of their life. And that is why Often, when things don't work out the way they prayed for or prayed about it.
They become very embittered. They think that God has let them down. I know from my own personal experience, back when I was young and immature Christian, and I prayed hard for something, and God would not give it to me. It took 18 months of me running away from the Lord, literally. Just gave up walking with God.
How dare God listen? How arrogant. It's the worst 18 months of my life. But you see that happens. When they don't get what they ask God for, they become embittered.
And have bitter spirits. And when you have a bitter spirit, that opens the door not only to sadness and despair, but also to fruitless. Christian life. Not only that. But when you become embittered in the spirit, you open the door wide for Satan to come in and get into some areas in your life and mind that he has no business getting into, and we have no business opening those doors, simply because we are embittered.
And today, as I said, I'm beginning this new series of messages. I'm calling it, call on me. This is different from any type of prayer preaching that you have heard me preach before. Because I really believe that the Lord Wants us to call on Him. but not as strangers.
He wants us to call on him. not only when the need arises. He wants us to call on Him, not as occasional callers. He wants us to call on him. As a dear friend calling upon a dear friend.
He wants us to call on him as a precious child calling upon his parents or her parents. He wants us to call upon him as a beloved calling upon a beloved. And the first in these messages in this series, Call on Me. is to do with this whole matter of hope. Because I sense there are so many Christians today, even mature Christians, who are feeling a sense of hopelessness.
They are feeling a sense of helplessness. They have a sense of resignation. They feel so overwhelmed with the pace of change. Most of it is not for good that is taking place in our culture, in our society, and in our world. And they feel helpless.
To do anything. In the face of this speedy downward spiral, and every time I honestly think that we've hit bottom, I see another bottom. Several have said to me in the last few months alone, How they feel that sense of Helplessness to do anything. And yet, listen to me, beloved, listen to me. That is not the place.
Where those who love and worship the Lord Jesus ought to be. The New Testament teaches us that we are to be the most hope-filled people on the face of God's earth. And that is why I want to turn your attention to the Apostle Paul's words in Romans 12:12. The Apostle Paul said. Rejoicing in hope.
Patient in affliction. Persistent in prayer. I'm going to show you without a shadow of doubt that you cannot be rejoicing in hope without being persistent in prayer. The two go together. You cannot separate them.
In fact, let me give you a little bit of a cultural linguistic lesson. That in the Hebrew language and in the Hebrew mind, which is the Apostle Paul certainly has, he even wrote in Greek, but he thinking as a Hebrew. In the Hebrew language, You always put the key sentence last. In English, we put the key sentence first and we build on it. But not in the Semitic languages.
The key phrase comes last. In other words, here's what the Apostle Paul is saying in that short verse. That When you persist in prayer, You will be able not only to be steadfast in tough times, but you will be rejoicing in hope. I am not talking about this false optimism. Or that temporary optimism that comes in from positive affirmation and from psyching yourself up and from saying to yourself, I can do it, I can do it, I can do it now.
Biblical hope. Comes from knowing who you are and whose you are. Biblical hope comes From that absolute confidence that God has your best interest in his heart. And that causes you Not just to be rejoicing in hope, but literally you cannot wait until to wake up every morning to see how God is going to deal with you, how God is going to bless you, how God is going to walk with you, how God is going to meet you at the point of your needs, and how God is going to use you mightily for Him. When you understand that secret, when you unlock that secret, your life will be rejoicing in what?
Hope. I wanted to hear me right. This is really. a very significant message that God laid on my heart. There is no true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ who should be pessimistic.
As I said, we may feel pessimistic about something, we may feel pessimistic about an issue, we may feel pessimistic about the lying that is taking place in our society where the good is called bad and the bad is called good. We may be pessimistic about this or that or the other thing, but we are not a pessimistic people. And the world of difference between the two, did you get it? Pessimistic people are those who do not know who they are, whose they are, and where they're going to spend eternity. That is a cause for pessimism.
But those who know Jesus rejoicing in what?
Well, some will say, Michael, you don't understand. I understand Paul is saying, rejoicing in hope, persistent in prayer. I understand that, but Paul lived in a different time. He doesn't understand the pressures of this time and the pressure of society. He doesn't understand where I am.
He doesn't understand the losses that I have experienced and the losses that I'm facing. He wouldn't understand.
Well, you may be right, he may not understand. But let me give you just a reader's digest version. Oh, we what he was going through when he said those words, okay? Just let me give you a summary of it. When he said rejoicing and hope.
Here's what he said. He said, five times I received forty lashes, less one.
Now in case you're counting, that's 195. And the reason they stopped the 39 lashes didn't go for the 40th because the 40th they believed would kill you. And they did not want to kill him. They just want to keep him alive, suffering. Three times I have been beaten with rods.
Once I was stoned. Three times I have been shipwrecked. I was adrift at sea for 24 hours. I was frequently in danger from rivers and from robbers, from my people and from Gentiles, from the city, from the wilderness, from the sea, from false brothers. And in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst and cold.
Exposure. This is of course he said Apart from my DAILY PRESHUSERS The daily pressures that I face about my anxiety over the churches of Jesus Christ. And then he writes, rejoicing. In Hope. But what made the Apostle Paul To be such an optimistic person in spite of all the crushing stuff that he was going through.
What made him to be on a beat and all of that he was facing and he's going through? What made him rejoice in hope despite of these terrible things? Things probably you and I will never see, will never experience. Oh. Because his hope Was based upon the absolute trust.
and faith that comes from a life that is persistent in prayer. And Jesus said. In Matthew 24:6, you know, he's talking about when you hear about wars and rumors of wars and terrible things that are going to happen. When you hear all that, he said, Don't let that trouble you. Why?
Oh. Because when you persist in prayer, not just as need arises, when you persist in prayer, not just when you want something from God, when you persist in prayer, God will reveal to you from His Word the unseen. He's going to reveal to you the invisible. In fact, Paul said in Romans 8 that hope is unseen. But let me ask you a question.
Please answer that question to yourself. Just don't rest until you answer those questions to yourself, not to me or to anybody else, just to yourself. How can God reveal this unseen? How can God reveal this invisible to someone who only comes to Him and persists in prayer only when He wants something? How can God reveal this unseen?
How can He reveal this invisible to someone who prays on the run and reads the Bible, His Word, occasionally? How can he do that? When you thirst for God enough, And you get to spend more time with him than watching television. When you're thirsting for God enough and you want to commune with him more than spending time being entertained, when you thirst for God enough to spend as much time in his word as you read other books, when you thirst for God enough to spend more time with him than with your social friends, when you do that, you will unlock the secret for the rejoicing in what? Hope.
That's the secret. It is the secret for my rejoicing and hope. It is the secret for joy in the middle of trouble. It is the secret for victory in times of temptations. It is the secret of fruitful life and blessings in times of uncertainty.
It is the secret to the power when weakness beckons and when my knees start knocking. It is the secret for confidence when everything else is blowing up in your face. Paul's secret for rejoicing in hope. is persistent in prayer. Again, this is not blue sky, positive thinking, affirmation.
It's not shallow thinking optimism. No, no, no, no, not at all. You see Paul saw The blackness of immorality But he did not participate in it. Paul grieved over the condition of Roman society. But he did not despair of it.
Paul grieved over the cruelty and selfishness of the culture of his day, but he would not allow it to cloud his vision. Paul experienced attack from bitter people, but he never allowed it to embitter his spirit. Yeah. In hope. And that hopefully.
It's not just the hope of heaven. If that was it. would have been enough. And you know who you are, whose you are, and you know that where you're going, where you'll be spending eternity. But The Apostle Paul's Hope.
And rejoicing in that hope was not only for heaven to come, but for here and now. For this life. His being persistent in prayer helped them to rejoice in hope in this life. How? Because Paul's life really Can be summarized in four words.
Christ. Lives In Me. Let's say it together. Christ lives in me. That's the summary.
It's talk about mission statement, vision statement, or whatever you want to go. I mean, this is it. Paul said, you want to summarize my life? You want to know why I'm such an optimistic person? Do you want to know why I rejoice in hope, regardless of this crushing circumstances that I find myself in?
You want to know the secret? Four words. Christ Lives in me. Listen, you can take weeks to uncover that. Just unpack those four words.
Christ Breathe. Through my aspirations. Christ Thinks through My thinking, Christ. wills through my will. Christ loves through my loving.
Christ reveal to travails in my labor. Christ works in me to will and to do for his good pleasure. Christ lives in me. Let's say it again. Christ lives in me.
What does it mean? What does it mean for you when you're in your at work? Tomorrow morning, and you're facing the problems, and the difficulties, and the fears, and the apprehension, what does it mean? When you are facing crisis in your home, and what does it mean in practical terms? It's very simply this: when you feel that apprehension and fear beginning to approach you and beginning to take hold of you, you remind yourself that what?
Christ lives in me. When you become angry and you want to lash out, you say and remind yourself. Christ lives in me. When you attempted to give up and throw in the towel, you remind yourself. Christ lives in me.
When you are criticized unfairly and being taken advantage of, and you feel frustrated and angry, what do you do? You remind yourself. Christ lives in me. When you face A seemingly hopeless and helpless situation You remind yourself. Christ.
Lives In me. When you feel you are tempted to do that which is not honoring to God, is not glorifying to God, you remind yourself, Christ lives in me. That's Paul's secret. And then soon. you begin to find yourself rejoicing in hope.
Let me tell you this as I conclude. Back in the nut So very good old days. You know, we always talk about the good old days, Lemites. Let's be realistic. They were not all that good.
There were some good aspects of it, but they weren't all that good. And back in those days When they used to lock up mental patients in dungeons. Literally, they lock them in and throw away the key. There was a little girl by the name of Annie. And when the doctors have examined her in Boston, They have concluded it's a hopeless case, it's a helpless case, and there's no way that she can ever get out of that dungeon, and therefore they ordered that she goes into that dungeon that received very little light and indeed very little hope.
And just put her there. for the rest of her life.
Well, there was a godly nurse who was approaching retirement age. She was a spirit-filled, loves the Lord. And she vehemently disagreed with the doctor's Conclusion. and for locking up little Annie in that dungeon. But she dared not.
speak up because She knew that she could lose her job. But here's what she did. Lunchtime, she would take her lunch and sit outside of that dungeon where little Annie is, and she would speak hope to her. And speak the word of God to her. And she would speak love to her.
Day after day, she'll take her lunch and she sits outside and speaks to little Annie. Annie's problem was that she would alternate between if somebody come in the room, either she violently attacks them or she totally ignores them as if they don't exist.
Well, in the case of the nurse, Annie just ignored her as if she didn't exist. And that continued for weeks. Then one day this godly lady Decided to bring Annie. A batch of brownies. And she put them through that hull through which they put food.
For a few hours nothing happened, but then she came back the next day and they were gone. And she knew that this is not a hopeless case. Every Thursday, she would bring a batch of brownies and put them there at the door and continue day after day, lunchtime, she would. Speak hope. Speak love.
Speak the word of God to Annie. Finally. The day came when the doctors examined little Annie. And then they decided The chi Has Totally changed. This is not only normal and they put her upstairs, they even want to send her home.
But Annie refused to go home. choosing instead to stay, And that she too can bring hope to some of the so-called hopeless situations. Many of you of course know Annie. as Ann Sullivan. who ministered and taught and cared for Helen Keller.
Rejoicing. In hope There is no child of the living God. who is born of the Spirit of God. have any reason to feel a sense of helplessness. We are to rejoice.
in hope And that can only happen when we know how to persist. in intimacy. with God. Thank you for being a part of Leading the Way with Dr. Michael Yusa.
Experience more of Dr. Youssef's sound teaching on television, radio. Online with the Leading the Way app and wherever you get your podcast. More details at ltw.org. Out of the whole of Australia, why the Illawarra?
There's something special. And I don't want to miss out on that something special. It's a really unreached place, and so something like this event. Yeah, yeah. Because it could be the first stepping stone to then, hopefully, more to come in the future.
Tonight is, of course, Hope for the Illawarra. We are gathered together in the Wynn Entertainment Centre, the largest indoor venue in the Illawarra. It's just amazing how many different congregations and churches and movements are actually involved in seeing lives saved. Any denominational barriers have kind of melted away. Dr.
Michael Youssef is coming here to really ignite a fire in the local church. Hello, Elohim.
So good to be home. Dr. Yusuf, clearly a man of great humility and prayerfulness. Not wanting to be in the limelight, but finding himself there. And I think the Lord can do a lot with that.
There's great power in that humility to be used. Jesus asked, What good is it? For a man or a woman to gain the whole world and forfeit his own or her own soul. God is asking every single one of us, where are you? Where do you stand with God?
What are you putting your hope in? I think that's a very important question to ask ourselves. On the heels of proclaiming the gospel of Christ in Illawarra, Dr. Michael Youssef journeyed to South Korea carrying the same message of hope. You gained the whole world.
From university halls to massive prayer gatherings, from army bases to the very edge of the demilitarized zone, the gospel went forth and the response was remarkable. At Xinhuan University, over 1,000 students came to hear the word of God. At the FEBC prayer vigil, more than 1,000 believers united in prayer for their nation. At Yoido Full Gospel Church, 6,000 gathered and received a timely message of hope in Christ. And at the Nonsan Military Training Center, over 3,500 soldiers heard the gospel, and 1,000 made decisions with Jesus.
From Atlanta to Australia, to Korea and around the world, passionately proclaiming uncompromising truth. If you've not supported Dr. Youssef before now, today is a great time to begin. Become part of the Leading the Way Giving Challenge. Those who want to see their gifts bring even more impact for the gospel.
Here's the number to learn more: 866-6666-6666-666. Four three five six. That's 866-626-6. Four three five six. Oh, and you can give securely online as well.
ltw.org ltw.org. This program is brought to you by Leading the Way with Dr. Michael Youssef.
