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Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you enjoyed today's message, why don't you be a blessing and share it with a friend? We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. Well, God bless you. It's a joy to come into your homes. And if you're ever in our area, please stop by. Be a part of one of our services.
I promise you, we'll make you feel right at home. I like to start with something funny and heard about this man named Bubba. He lived way out in the country and there was this stray dog that kept showing up at his house. His wife said, Bubba, you have to put the dog in the truck and take him out to the woods and drop him off. That's where he lives.
Bubba drove him a mile down the road, dropped him off. When he came back home, the dog was walking up the driveway, practically beat him back. He did the same thing. It happened again. His wife said, Bubba, you have to take him way out. Drive him around in circles. Get him all mixed up.
Bubba drove him an hour away, crisscrossed country roads he'd never driven down before and dropped the dog off. Two hours later, Bubba called his wife from the truck and said, did that dog make it back home? She said, yeah, here he comes walking up. He said, do me a favor, put him on the line. I need directions. I need directions. Say it like you mean it. This is my Bible.
I am what it says I am. I have what it says I have. I can do what it says I can do. Today, I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess my mind is alert. My heart is receptive. I will never be the same in Jesus name. God bless you. I want to talk to you today about you have a defender. We all have people that come against us, make negative comments, trying to discredit us or belittle us.
Human nature is to get in there and try to straighten them out, prove to them how they're wrong. We think we have to defend ourselves. After all, that's our reputation. But the problem with this approach is as soon as you get one person straightened out, three more will pop up. There will always be somebody that's against you, somebody that's trying to make you look bad.
If you're constantly trying to defend yourself, you'll get distracted fighting battles that you were never supposed to fight. It's easy to get baited into conflict thinking. Did you see what they said about me on social media? I'm gonna show them who they're messing with Do you know how much energy it takes to try to pay somebody back?
Or to try to prove to them that you really are a nice person You are spending emotional energy that you need for your dreams for your goals Here's the key. You don't have to defend yourself. God said he will defend you. He will protect your reputation. Quit worrying about the chatter, the negative comments. Those are all distractions.
That's the enemy trying to bait you off course so you'll waste your time and energy involved in battles that don't matter. well, Joel, I'm upset because I'm a good person. What they're saying about me is not true. Doesn't matter how good you are, how loving, kind, upstanding, somebody's not going to like you. Somebody's going to try to discredit you. It happened with Jesus.
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Chapter 2: What does it mean to have a defender in your life?
He wouldn't bow down to Haman and follow the traditions of his people. So Haman was constantly trying to discredit Mordecai, push him down, make him look bad. Mordecai didn't get upset. He didn't try to pay him back. He understood this principle that he had a defender. He left that case in the hands of God. In the natural, Haman had an advantage.
He worked for the king in the palace, had a prestigious, influential position. What could Mordecai ever do? But one night, this king couldn't sleep. He asked his assistant to bring him one of the books that had the city's history recorded in it. It just so happened the king read about a good deed that Mordecai had done. The king was so impressed, the next morning he called Haman in.
He said, Haman, what do you think we should do to honor a man that's done a good deed and served the king with excellence? Well, Haman was so self-centered, he thought the king was talking about himself, so he played it up big. He said, King, I think we should put a royal robe on this man, have a big parade, march him up and down the streets announcing what a great man he is.
The king said, Haman, I love that idea. Now go find Mordecai and do just what you said. You march him up and down the streets and you announce how great he is. What am I saying? God knows how to protect your reputation. Why don't you put that case in his hands? Quit spending all your time trying to defend yourself. You have a defender. God can do it better than you. He knows how to bring justice.
He knows how to vindicate you. This is what Jesus did. He was disrespected. They called him a fraud, a cheat, an imposter. But the scripture says he made himself of no reputation. That means he didn't worry about his reputation. He knew he would be misunderstood. He knew people would be negative, critical, find fault.
He didn't waste his time trying to prove to his critics that he was the son of God. He didn't go around upset because religious leaders didn't believe in him. He just kept running his race, being his best, trusting his father to settle his cases.
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Chapter 3: How can negative comments affect your emotional energy?
If you're consumed with what other people think, why won't they respect me? I've got to convince them to believe in me. Then you'll get distracted and miss your destiny. Why don't you let your defender go to work? God said he will fight your battles. He will take care of your critics. God will deal with those coworkers that are spreading rumors about you.
He'll take care of that friend that's trying to make you look bad. God knows how to settle your case. David put it this way, Psalm 69. Those who hate me without a cause are too many to count. They attack me with lies. They make fun of me. I am the favorite town gossip. It's the same way today. People can dislike you without a cause. They don't even know you. They just pass you by at the office.
They've never been to lunch with you, never heard your story. It'd be one thing if they knew you and didn't like you, but they judge you from a distance. They don't like you because you're happy, because you're successful, because you're talented, because you're a different nationality. Like with David, they'll attack you behind your back and try to belittle, discredit you.
These are tests that we all must pass. Are you going to get offended and try to straighten them out? Are you going to take that bait and get involved in a battle that you're not supposed to fight? Stay on the high road. They don't control your destiny. They're a distraction trying to lure you off course to get involved in something that's not between you and your destiny.
One of the best things we can learn to do is ignore it. Don't pay it any attention. That's how you leave it in the hands of God. And this is what David did. He went on to say, they hate me, they attack me, they make fun of me, but I keep right on praying to you. He was saying, I don't give it the time of day, I just keep on praising. Well, Joel, what they're saying is not true.
What if they tarnish my reputation? I'm asking you to put your reputation in God's hands. He said that he would protect it. And the more successful you are, the higher you go, more people will come against you. Like with David, talk about you without a cause. Everybody loved you until you got that promotion, till you moved into that new house, till you married that beautiful girl.
Now the critics have come out of the woodwork. You have to let your defender go to work. You have to be still and know that he is God. It's easy to get all stirred up, thinking about how you can pay them back, what the best strategy is to get even. Can I tell you what it is? Be still. Leave that case in God's hands. God said in Jeremiah, I will defend you. I will be your lawyer.
I will take on your case. Years ago, Victoria and I were in a legal situation. Somebody accused us of something we didn't do. We knew we were in the right, but they filed a lawsuit and we had to go to court. We hired the best attorney we could possibly find. We didn't want somebody average, middle of the pack. We wanted somebody to represent us that was exceptional, that had a great track record.
a lot of experience, very skilled. We found a man that was just that and we went to court. Victoria and I didn't have to get up and argue our case, try to prove to the other side we were right, convince them of our innocence. We just sat back and let our attorney do all the work. He argued for us. He objected when he heard something he didn't like. He rebutted the other testimony.
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Chapter 4: What lessons can we learn from Jesus about defending ourselves?
Numbers chapter 12, Moses' sister and brother started speaking against Moses. Miriam and Aaron, they didn't like the wife that Moses had chosen. He married somebody from a different nationality. I can hear them telling people, why'd he marry her? That wasn't right. He should have known better. On and on, stirring up trouble, trying to make Moses look bad.
Verse two says, the Lord heard what they were saying. When people are talking about you, don't worry, God hears it. You may not even know it's happening, but God knows it's happening. He's your defender. Goes on to say, the anger of the Lord blazed against Miriam and Aaron. Why was God so mad? Had they killed someone, lied, cheated, committed adultery?
No, it was because they had spoken against the reputation of one of his children. Instantly, Miriam's skin was white with leprosy. God takes it seriously when somebody tries to discredit you, belittle you. You don't have to get upset. God sees what's happening. He doesn't sit idly by and think, oh, too bad. They're just ruining their reputation. No, God goes to work.
He knows how to get people's attention. And sometimes he'll cause them to be quiet and change their mind. Other times he'll let them keep talking and just keep promoting you. The more they talk, the higher you'll go. They think they're hurting you. The truth is they're helping you. God is paying you back for what they're saying by taking you to new levels. It's what the scripture says.
God will prepare a table before you in the presence of your enemies. The very ones that tried to disrespect you, hold you down. They will see you in a position of honor, promoted, respected with greater influence. That's your defender at work. I talked to a gentleman here in the lobby a while back and he was very upset because his boss was against him, was always trying to hold him down.
I told this man what I'm telling you, that God is your defender. People can't keep you from your destiny. Don't live frustrated trying to straighten your boss out. Just keep being your best. You're not working under people, you're working under God. Leave that case in his hands. This man went back to the office with a new attitude.
On several occasions, he should have been promoted, but because of this unfair boss, he got passed over. Well, one day the CEO of the whole company was in town. This man had to make a presentation. The CEO was very impressed with his work. About a year later, a position came available that should have gone to his boss, but this CEO bypassed the boss and offered the position to this man.
Now, instead of having to work for this boss, it's hard to get along with unfair. The tables have turned. The boss is working for him. God knows how to settle your case. He knows how to protect your reputation. It says in Psalms, touch not my anointed. You are his anointed. You may be in a situation where there's disrespect, people pushing you down, trying to hold you back.
It's been that way a long time. You don't think it's ever going to change. Get ready. Your time is coming. God has heard every negative word spoken against you. He's seen every person that's tried to hold you back. Like with this man, vindication is on the way. Promotion is coming. New levels are coming. God is going to make things happen that you could never make happen.
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Chapter 5: How did Mordecai demonstrate faith in his defender?
You have to ask yourself, if I engage in this conflict, if I prove my point, if I win them over, am I going to be any further toward my destiny or have I just fed my ego? Have I just made my flesh feel good? Stay on the high road. Your time is too valuable. Your destiny too important. Your assignment too great to get involved in battles that don't matter.
There will always be sand ballots yelling insults. Always be Tobias's trying to get under your skin, agitate you. Don't worry, you have a defender. Be still and know that he is God. Let him fight those battles. God will take care of your critics. It's interesting, when Nehemiah was rebuilding the wall, he was up on the mountain. The critics were down at the bottom.
The principle is anytime you start answering your critics, you have to go down. When you start defending yourself, trying to prove to people who you are, you're leaving the high place and going down to their level. When you realize you have a defender, when you know God will fight your battles, then you'll do like Jesus and not answer your critics.
You'll do like Nehemiah and stay on the mountain so you can focus on what's really important. Maybe today you need to go back up on that mountain. The critics will always be there. People that don't understand you. People that are never going to be for you. I'm asking you to let God be your defender. Put your reputation in his hands. God has already lined up the right people who will be for you.
The right people who will celebrate you and help push you into your purpose. Here's the whole key. Don't waste your time trying to convince the wrong people. Just run your race. Keep honoring God, being your best. If you'll do this, I believe and declare God is about to settle your cases. Right now, he's preparing that table in the presence of your enemies.
He's going to vindicate you, promote you, and take you into the fullness of your destiny. In Jesus' name, if you receive it, can you say amen? I'd like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make you my Lord and Savior.
Amen.
Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in a good Bible-based church. Keep God first place. Victoria and I will be right back to speak a blessing over you.
Every day we can live discouraged, angry, depressed, defeated. Is it possible to turn these negatives into an outlook filled with purpose, happiness, and joy?
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