Taffi Dollar - The God of the Comeback
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I want to spend a few minutes, well, just want to make the most of the time that we have really going over scriptures. You know, there are so many scriptures that I want you to see and read tonight and get a hold of… and not so much me quoting them, but you to actually get concept and context of where we want to go. And so it is pivotal and it is pertinent for us just to kind of dive right into it and go from A to Z, amen? And, so, tonight, I guess if we wanna give it a title, I’m gonna call it, «God of the Comeback,» God of the Comeback.
And we’re gonna look in John chapter 16, and we’re gonna look at some things concerning this subject of him being the God of the comeback. When we have an expectation that something good is going to happen, and an unanticipated or sudden event occurs, which reverses our anticipation, this is what I describe tonight as a setback. So, if you’re facing a setback, know that God isn’t done with you yet. He is not done with us yet, and we know, and we will look at some scriptures on tonight.
So let’s look at Job chapter 1, well, let’s look at this one here, John 16, first, and we wanna look at verse 33, and we’ll look at it in the KJV and then we’ll look at it in the Message Translation, the God of the comeback, «These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have», what, «tribulations», tests, trials, circumstances, situations. He says, «That’s what we’re going to experience in this world. We’re gonna have tribulation, but be of good cheer». Why? He says, «I have», what, «overcome the world».
Now look at this in the Message Translation; he says, «I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakeable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties». He says, «But take heart»! This is the good news: «I have overcome the world» or «I have conquered the world». And so we wanna look at this because we realize that, in this world, which is where we reside, we’re gonna have some tests; we’re gonna have some challenges, situations, difficulties, as one of the translations and he says, «But be of good cheer» because he gives us the ability to overcome and to conquer.
And, so, when we recognize that there are going to be setbacks in this world in which we live, things that happen unexpectedly, things that occur, because that’s what the scripture says, and that’s what the Word of God says is that we’re gonna have these things that are going to happen, but we can be of good cheer. We don’t have to allow it to just pull us all the way back, to take us, you know, backwards. But we can realize that God has promised it, and, with it, we can find comfort in his Word and move forward.
And so let’s look at Job chapter 1; if there were any person who had setbacks, it would be this man called Job. There were things that were just very treacherous that occurred in his life, so many things that he lost. There are many things that have been lost in the pandemic, and people are still recovering from that. And so, as a result of Job’s life, we can look at how he dealt with loss and how he dealt with setbacks in his life, time after time after time after time. And so these are things that the enemy is trying to do with our lives. He comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy. He wants our focus; he wants our attention. He’s come to try to prevent God’s blessing on our life. He comes to do everything to get us distracted, off focus. And, when we recognize what the enemy is trying to do, we can realize that Jesus came to undo the authority that the enemy took in the Garden of Eden.
And so it says here concerning Job that, «There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job». I was about to say job… not job, but Job; not Oz, but Uz. «There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil». And so, you know, according to the scripture, because he did everything right, because he was upright, he feared God, did right by God, you wouldn’t think that he would experience a setback in the things that would take place in his life. You would think that, because he was right-standing and doing everything right, that there wouldn’t be anything that would be wrong that would take place in his life.
But, how many of you know, there’s a devil loose? And, because the enemy is loose, he wants to wreak havoc. And so look down in verse 19 of this same chapter; look at what happened to Job and the things that gave him the potential to be set back. «And, so behold,» it says, «there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee». So we see that there were people that lost their lives.
«Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and», what, «worshipped, And said, 'Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither; the Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.'» So Joel was a shining example, wouldn’t you agree, of God in the earth, and we see how he responded when the attack came. It didn’t just come one time, but, if you were to read that entire chapter, it happened two, three times, over and over and over again. It repeatedly happened, to the point where it was something that the enemy was really trying to take his life.
And, so, in the midst of a setback, a couple things you have to remind yourself of. Number 1, that God will never stop loving me. Number 2, he has a plan for my life. Number 3, I’ll trust him when I don’t understand. And there are some things that we can learn from Job’s life, from Job’s example when this setback came, when he lost the lives of those who were close to him. And it gives us a example that we can begin to study out and recognize that setbacks have occurred in the lives of godly people.
Turn over to James chapter 5, verse 11, and this refers to Job as well because, regardless of how perfect or flawless of a person you try to be, you’re in this world; we’re not of it, but we’re gonna have some challenges. So it says, «Behold, we count them happy which endure. You have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy».
So I’d like to, kind of, have you refer to what was the end of Job, in Job 42, verse 10. Let’s look at what his life ended up being because, even though he had a setback, God manifested himself and gave him a comeback. And that’s what we see time and time and time again is that, not only is there a setback, but God will set you up to do things greater and higher, far better than what you can ever imagine. So it says, talking about Job here and the things that happened in his life, time and time again, «The Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends». Think of that: prayer, captivity was turned. «Also», listen to this, «the Lord gave Job twice twice as much as he had before». The God of the Comeback. A setback is a loss of progress; it’s a defeat of a plan; it’s anything that sets you back.
Now, look at Habakkuk chapter 3, verse 17; I think this will help to shed some light on how God turns setbacks into comebacks. Habakkuk chapter 3, verse 17, love what it says here, «Although the fig tree shall not blossom», this is a setback, «neither shall the fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold». So we see several things. I mean, you’re talking about the fig tree not blooming, the fruit not being on the vines, the labor failing, the fields not yielding meat, the flock being cut off. So you’re talking about five different things that ordinarily would occur, but, during this time, they did not.
Let’s look at verse 18, «And there shall be no herd in the stalls; Yet I will rejoice in the Lord God». So, even though there were all these things that were trying to set them back, what did they say? «Yet, I will joy in the God of my salvation». When everything is going wrong, four, five things that were unanticipated, unexpected, unforeseen, that came out of nowhere unbeknownst to me, he says, «Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, and I will joy in the God of my salvation». Because the enemy doesn’t want you to rejoice when bad things happen, when you have a setback or report or something that occurs, or someone does something that kind of pulls the rug out from up under you. He doesn’t want you to rejoice in the God of your salvation. He wants you to complain, to curse, to throw in the towel, probably go beat somebody up, kick the dog. But, with everything that occurred, they found joy in the God of their salvation. I’m telling you, that’s powerful; that’s supernatural, amen?
Now, let’s look at Joseph’s life; turn over to Genesis chapter 37. Much of Joseph’s life included a series of painful setbacks, from the dream that he had of who God showed him that he would be and how it was interpreted to do things unlike his siblings, and his siblings, «Like, who do you think you are? Why do you get all the special treatment»? You know, the scripture talks about how, you know, he was loved more than the other ones, and look at 37 of Genesis, chapter 37, verse 3; skip down to verse 3, it says, «Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children».
Not gonna ask any parents here tonight; we’re just gonna keep on reading, praise the Lord. «Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours». Verse 4, «And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they», what? Oh, how many of you know, it was not a good life. They hated Joseph, despised him, because he was loved more, «and could not speak peaceably unto him». Verse 5, «And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more».
Now, look at what happened; skip down to verse 36 of the same chapter. Of course, we know it, but just for the sake of context, «And the Midianites sold him», referring to Joseph, «into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and a captain of the guard». So they sold him to Potiphar. He had a hard time as a slave, but eventually the scripture talks about how Joseph had a revelation of the fact that God was with him, and he wasn’t alone, and the blessing that got on Joseph, and all the things that happened where he was promoted, he was elevated, he was placed in charge, he was given authority to run things and manage things because of the blessing that was on his life. And there was nothing that the enemy could do, where there were temptations and tests that were arranged to frame him, but he was able to manage and get away from it.
And so there were many things that were designed to set Joseph back because, how any of you know, sometimes people will try to set you back, not to mention your own family. In Joseph’s case, his own family was trying to set him back and do him harm and did not like him. In fact, they not just didn’t like him, but they hated him. But look at what happened with Joseph because we’re talking about the God of the comeback; Joseph was the comeback kid. And, I’m telling you, if we trust God, he’ll call us to bounce back from situations that were designed for our harm. 'Cause, how many of you know, when the blessing is on your life, the anointing is on your life. the favor of God is on your life, and you know who you are in Christ, there’s nothing that any devil in hell can do to stop God’s favor and his power from working on your behalf, amen?
So look at this in Genesis 45; I love how Joseph responded in spite of the setback, and all the things that he could have done when he came in contact with those who sold him into slavery and who meant to do him harm. Let’s look at this from the Message Translation; let’s switch over to a different translation; I love how it’s says it here in verse 11. So, the short… make a long story short, this is Joseph when he comes in contact with his brothers when they’re in need. He says, «Hurry back to my father. Tell him, 'Your son Joseph says: I’m master of all Egypt. Come as fast as you can and join me here.'»
He recognized who they were. He says, «'I’ll give you a place to live in Goshen where you’ll be close to me, your children, your grandchildren, your flocks, your herds, and anything else you can think of. I’ll take care of you there completely. There are still five more years of famine ahead; I’ll make sure all of your needs are met, taken care of, you and everyone connected with you won’t want for a thing.' Look at me. You can see for yourselves, and my brother Benjamin can see for himself, that it’s me».
Joseph was introducing himself. He says, «'my own mouth, telling you all this. Tell my father all about the high position that I hold in Egypt, tell him everything that you’ve seen here, but don’t take all day, hurry up and get my father down here.' Then Joseph threw himself on his brother, Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept. He then kissed all his brothers and wept over them». You’re talking about decades of separation, decades of what had occurred, probably the trauma, seeing them. He says that he threw himself on his brother’s neck, and they wept; he wept; he kissed them. «Only then were his brothers able to talk with him. The story was reported to Pharaoh’s palace: 'Joseph’s brothers have come.' And it was good news to Pharaoh and all who worked with him».