Joseph Prince - How to Trust God When You're Stuck in "What-If" (01/20/2026)
In this sermon, Pastor Prince declares that Jesus' words endure forever amid a world facing increasing darkness, mental health struggles, and challenges despite advancements. For God’s people, however, the themes of past years—restful increase, crowned goodness, unceasing fruitfulness, possessing possessions, Jubilee, hesed wisdom, and latter rain—continue to build. As the world darkens, God’s glory rises upon His people, shining brighter in contrast. True peace is found under His wings amid storms, not in the absence of trouble. Emphasizing living one day at a time, the preacher highlights Jesus as Lord of time and space through the first two signs in John: turning water to wine (accelerating time) and healing the nobleman’s son from afar (transcending space). This year, expect God to accelerate, reverse, or expand time and space in your favor—one obedient step at a time.
Jesus' Words Endure Forever
Jesus says, «Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will never pass away». We’ve tried everything. You know, we have all the resources and the helps of modern science and medicine than any other generation ever. And yet, many people are suffering more this time around than ever. Their diet is supposed to improve. Mental health is at an all-time low. In fact, it’s on the increase. But I just want you to know that the theme of the year for God’s people is amazing because God knows what is the emphasis for that year.
Cumulative Themes for God’s People
So some people will say, «Well, you know what, Pastor? I believe that every year is the year of the latter rain». Yes, it’s true, amen? God does not take away; God adds, amen? So we are still in the year of restful increase. We are still in the year of crowned goodness. We are still in the year of unceasing fruitfulness. We are still in the year of possessing our possessions. We are still in the year of Jubilee. We are still in the year of hesed wisdom.
We are still in the year of…the latter rain. It’s still raining blessings, amen? And it’s for God’s people. Don’t try to make this something applicable for the world, amen. It’s not for the world. In fact, as far as the world is concerned, it’s going to get darker and darker. The Bible tells us that. The Word of God tells us that. Before Jesus makes his appearance, the world will get darker and darker. But the glory of the Lord will arise upon you, and it will be seen on you. His glory will be seen on you. And darkness actually allows the light to be seen in all its glory like never before, amen?
Light Shines Brighter in Darkness
I’ve said time and again that if you switch off all the lights in this auditorium and there’s one flicker of light somewhere, everybody will see it, all right? But the darker it is, pitch darkness, a little light even will be seen in all its glory, amen? So when the whole world is like people painting peace. You know, there was a competition one time of who can portray peace on the canvas. It was a real competition. And at the end, they sort of, like, selected the last three. One was a very peaceful scenery of, you know, the sun rising, the horizon. Another one was, you know, a beautiful scenery of pasture and all that. But the one that won amazed everybody. It was stormy.
The storm over the sea. The sea was raging with its waves, foaming out its waves. But when you look at first glance, even come nearer, you can see why it’s portraying peace. But near the craggy rock facing the sea, the cliffs, there is a bird, a mother bird. And she has her wings over her young ones. And the young ones are in absolute peace. The Bible says: «He will cover you with his feathers, » throughout this year, «and under his wings, you shall trust, » amen?
True Peace Amid Storms
Peace is not the absence of adverse circumstances. It’s not the absence of challenges and battles. We’ll go through this this year. But we’re not going through this alone. The Lord will be with us. Even though you walk through… and thank God you’re not going to walk and dwell. You’re going to walk through the shadow, the valley of the shadow. Remember it’s a shadow, amen? A shadow of a tiger does not kill anybody, amen? You are walking through the valley of the shadow of death, you will fear no evil. For he is with you, amen? And his rod and his staff.
That’s the nature of the shepherd. The Lord is our shepherd. It’s so good to know that we are facing this year with our shepherd. We do not know everything that’s going to happen. Jesus said, «Don’t worry about tomorrow. Take no thought for tomorrow. Don’t worry about tomorrow, » he says. «Sufficient of the day is the evil thereof». In other words, live one day at a time.
Living One Day at a Time
If you are suffering mental depression, listen to what I’m going to say, amen? Just live one day at a time. Get up, just do what you’re supposed to do. Next thing and the next thing, and the Holy Spirit will lead you first step by step by step.
The secret of the winding stairs. Before you know it, you are on another level. Before you know it, you’re in a larger place to inherit even more. Are you listening? «Thy word is a lamp unto my feet». And I read an account of a man who went to Israel in the 1800s. And back then, they don’t have, you know, the modern convenience like buses, but the guides back then would carry their luggage for them and they would be on a camel, and when their hands are full, at night, as evening comes and darkness descends, they will tie a lamp around their feet. And then the one who was riding the camel was a minister. He says that it reminds him of Psalms 119, verse 105, says, «Thy word is a lamp unto my feet».
He does not see the end journey. Neither can you when you climb up the stairs. If you are suffering mental issues, okay, you’ve been diagnosed with depression or whatever it is, you keep yourself in the room, take one step. Maybe just go out there and sit down and watch TV. And take one step. Just one step. Don’t worry about tomorrow. «But I’m not working». Don’t worry. One step will lead you to your job. «But I’m not married at my age».
One step will lead you to the right place. Imagine Rebecca went that morning not knowing that she would meet her, she was about to meet her very, very anointed and rich fiancé, or husband-to-be, which is Isaac, but she met the servant, right? And she was just obeying the Lord by being generous to feed his camel. End up, she became the wife of Isaac, Abraham’s son, who inherited everything from Abraham. One step at a time. Show them The Message Bible, Matthew 6. It says like this: «Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes».
This brings out the spirit of what Jesus is saying. Don’t worry about tomorrow. This is The Message translation. Enough problems today. And the manna comes daily. And there’s enough manna for one day at a time. Are you listening? There’s enough grace for today. A lady would say things like, it’s a true story, went for a holiday with a friend, and she looked at the beautiful place. And many people do this. They look, «Oh this place is so beautiful. I must come back here one day». Then her friend is thinking, «You are here».
How many times we have lived in the future? How many times we have lived in the past, in regret? We regret. But we are here with our loved one. We are here at this age. We are here while we are still young. We worry about old age. We are here and we regret the past. No, God can accelerate time for you.
Jesus as Lord of Time: Water to Wine
Jesus, our Lord Jesus, the first beginning of miracles. The Bible says, in Cana of Galilee, «On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
Now both Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding». And, you know, they ran out of wine. You know that, right, amen? I’ve shared on this before, if you remember. And they went to Jesus and Mother said, «They have no wine». Now listen, the mother said this. I want you all to learn this. From the lips of Mary, it says, «Whatsoever He says to you, do it»! And it’s always the first step. If it tells you, don’t worry, you’re depressed now, just get up, breathe, eat, and just start walking out. Just a walk in the park. Just a walk in the park. By the way, talking about walking. This is from the Lord. The Lord told me to tell you all: Start walking again.
Do you know a neuroscientist just, and my wife gave me this just, again, this past week, she gave me an article from a neuroscientist who said that people who walk often, amen, people walk even 30 minutes a day, people who walk, it helps their brain, not just their physical health, it helps their brain, and he’s a neuroscientist, amen. It’s something about walking outside especially. It gives you a broad, you know, your mind is at ease. Start walking. Walk your way into wholeness. Walk your way into health, amen. Now, just natural walking. Now, God tells us to walk, there is some power in it. He is going to bless it, amen? Okay, praise God.
Now, the first miracle. «Whatever He says to you, do it». So Jesus saw there were six water pots of stone for purifying of the juice, containing about 20 gallons or 30 gallons. He told them, «Fill the water pots with water». They filled it. He said, «Show them to the governor of the feast». And the governor of the feast tasted it and he says, «My goodness». He didn’t know where it came from. He called for the bride and groom. He says, «You know, most people, they’ll serve good wine first. When people are intoxicated, they can’t tell the difference. You give them any drink or so, they’ll drink, you know? When they are intoxicated, they bring up the inferior wine. But you have kept the good wine, the best wine, for last. It’s amazing».
And this miracle, nobody was helped, in that sense, except for the bride and groom. It was a miracle of luxury…amen. But something else the Bible says in the Gospel of John there are seven miracles, but they are not called miracles. Only in John, they are called signs. They are miracles, but in John, he calls it signs. So the first miracle in the Bible it says Jesus turned the water into wine: «This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee». In Cana of Galilee, amen? Are you all with me so far? Follow me?
Now, how long does it take to get good wine? To plant a seed in the ground is the first step, right? So how long before the vine produces grapes? Two to three years. And even then, even three to four years, even then, listen carefully, the three to four years when grapes come, that wine is not good quality. It’s what they use for average wine. Good-quality wine, five to seven years. Even better-quality wine, after the five to seven years, you get the grapes and you make it into wine, you keep it. The longer you keep it, 20 years, 30 years, the value goes up. Jesus compressed time. His first miracle is a sign to all of us that he is the Lord of time. He is the Lord of time. This year, you will see him accelerate time, reverse time, if it’s in your favor, or even suspend time. And please write in when you see that happening. Let us know. God can even reverse the years the locust has eaten. In this case, excellent wine.
Jesus as Lord of Space: Healing from Afar
Now, it’s not that man cannot produce excellent wine. It takes time. It takes 7 years, then 20 years to have that kind of wine that Jesus produced in an instant. I’m not saying that man cannot do it, but it takes a lot of time. So this year, we’ll not follow man’s way; God’s way. The second miracle Jesus did. How many know what’s the second miracle Jesus did? It’s also in Cana of Galilee. Same Gospel of John. Okay, let’s go to John 4: «Now after two days He departed from there and went to Galilee».
Notice he did the miracle on the third day. Show them «the third day». The miracle of water to wine was on the third day. Do you know, spiritually speaking, we are living in the days of the third day? The Bible says a thousand years with the Lord is like one day. So Jesus came 2000 years ago, amen? So we are living in after two days. We are living in the third day.
And here again it says in this next miracle, John 4, «Now after the two days He appeared from there and went to Galilee, » drop down. «So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Jesus and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death». So Cana of Galilee and Capernaum, where his son was. He came all the way to Cana, where Jesus was, to ask Jesus to go down to where his son was in Capernaum. You know how many miles is that? 40.4 kilometers, which is about 25 miles. 40.4 kilometers is about, give and take, 25 miles, okay? That’s how far it is. Then Jesus said this. Drop down.
Jesus says, «Go your way; your son lives». So Jesus didn’t have to come down. «He says, 'Go your way; your son lives.' So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way, and as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, » by the way, he went down the next day. How do I know? Because the Bible says yesterday, the miracle happened, his servants told him. In other words, he trusted the word of Jesus. He didn’t rush down to see whether his son is okay. He spent the night in Cana. The next day, «As he was going down, his servants met him and said, 'Your son lives! ' He inquired of them the hour when he got better. They said to him, 'Yesterday at the seventh hour, '» 1 o’clock in the afternoon. Drop down. «The father knew it was the same hour in which Jesus said to him, 'Your son lives.' And he himself believed, and his whole household».
This again is the second sign. Now, by the way, there are seven signs in the Gospel of John. There are many other miracles Jesus did which, if everything is written down, John says the books cannot contain it. But seven signs will teach us something. After this, you don’t find «This is the third sign» or fourth sign or fifth sign anymore. Only the first two, the beginning of miracles.
Lord of Time and Space This Year
That goes the Apocryphal story. When Jesus was a boy, he saw a bird with a broken wing. He touched it and the bird flew away, you know, healed. No, no such thing. He did miracles only after he was anointed with the Holy Spirit, and the first miracle he did was turn the water into wine to show that he’s the Lord of time. And this one? He’s the Lord of space. Scientifically, he’s the Lord of time and space. Space exists in all things. And everything finds its existence in space, except God. He’s outside space.
So this year, he can manipulate space for you. He’s the Lord of time and space. Are you with me so far, huh? Come on, church! He’s the Lord of time and space. He can accelerate time, he can expand space. Get ready for promotion, amen. Get ready for a wider place, a larger place. Even naturally as well, you know, this is going to be the year, amen. You are thinking, «Well, my condition, you know, is a chronic condition, and it will take some time. I believe I’ll get well and all that». Well, this year, he’s going to accelerate time for you, amen. «But, Pastor Prince, at this age and all that, I regret. I look back and all that».
Don’t live in regret. Live now, amen. God is able to take your past and multiply it and restore to you the years the locust has eaten. I meet so many people that I’ve seen for myself: They look better than they did in their 20s, in their 40s, in their 50s. Some of them are healthier. Many of them are healthier today than they were in their 20s or even in their teens. Some of them had chronic problems and all that. And I look at them, and they are in our church, and I see so many of them. I’m telling you: I rejoice because God is restoring the years. God can do it just like time. Sometimes, drags for us.
Sometimes it seems so fast. God can manipulate time in your favor this year. Get ready for that. And there’ll be a space thing as well. Space, you cannot eliminate it. You cannot do away with it. You are in it. Except for one, outside it. Just like he’s outside time, amen? He can manipulate space. What is the secret of the staircase? Saving time. Maximum amount of height in the smallest possible space in the shortest time. It’s going to happen to you and your loved ones this coming year. You’ll go higher in the Spirit. You’ll go higher. You’re not going behind anymore. So don’t think natural.
Aren’t you glad God does it one step at a time? We cannot take it… David, you think you’re bringing the cheese to the battlefield, amen, and the bread for your brothers. No, no. You’re going to end up king. You’re going to end up fighting the giant, David. No, the grace will be there only when he’s there to serve his purposes and plans for us this year. He’s the Lord of time and space. He don’t have to come down to Capernaum. He can speak. What you gotta do is to do what the father of the boy did. Believe what he said, and the miracle will happen.
One Step at a Time: Whatever He Says, Do It
I just want you all to know one thing: that we are not dealing with religion. We are dealing with reality.
The universe is created by God. Even the laws that govern science is created by God. And what is a miracle? A miracle is something that, when God suspends the natural law, God reverses the natural law, or God accelerates the natural law, it’s something out of the ordinary. We call that a miracle. And God does a miracle in favor of his people. It’s for your favor. It’s for your benefit. He’s doing you a favor. And that’s what he wants to do this coming year, to do you lots of favors, lots of favors, by expanding time, by reversing time, by suspending or accelerating time because he loves you. He is the Lord of time and space. For those who can take it, let me tell you this. Both miracles were done in Cana of Galilee.
You study the word «cana, » it means to acquire, to get. You look at the word «galilee» from the word «galil, » it means in a circle, in a circle, in a circle, a circuit. You acquire things God’s way in a circuit, one step at a time; the secret of the winding stairs, one step at a time. Don’t worry about what you can’t see in front of you. Just obey the Lord. He may prompt you to do something. He might prompt you to study something. He might prompt you. Even your relationship with your spouse, you might be in a place where you feel it’s breaking down. «How can I get this back? How can I redeem the time»?
Well, the Bible says: You can redeem the time by becoming wise. Ask God for wisdom, and he will show you one step at a time. Just do that. Maybe God says, «Talk less, listen. Resist the urge to talk. Just listen. Just listen. Just listen». «But how can just that one little thing», just listen. For some of you who are hearing God right now, for your first step, just listen. Resist all the urge inside you to want to say something, to want to… resist it and just listen. I think that’s a word for a number of you having challenges in your relationship with your spouse or even with your teenager or with your son or daughter. Perhaps God is saying something else to somebody else.
Well, just do that one thing, will you? Whatever he says to you, do it. And the Lord of time and space… you don’t have to worry whether he accelerates or he suspends time or reverses time. You don’t have to worry about the wider space and the bigger and a larger possession. You don’t have to worry about all that. Like, what we did even with this place, one step at a time. When the time is right, you realize you’re in a bigger place, a wider place, greater possession of your possessions in Christ.
Closing Blessing
Lift your hands all across this place, amen. The Lord bless you and the Lord keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you throughout this year. The Lord favors you and your family throughout this year. And the Lord protect and keep you from every harm, you and your loved ones, from every harm, danger, accident throughout this week. The Lord protect you from every strain of virus. The Lord protect you from all the powers of darkness. The Lord protect you and your loved ones throughout this week, in the name of Jesus. And all the people said, «Amen, » amen.