When God Has Set You Apart, People Say These Things About You

When God sets you apart, everything begins to change. You may even notice that people, even people close to you, start to treat you differently. When God sets you apart, people may say that you've changed, but really you've been chosen. You're on a journey now, and God is going to use you for his glory. So you need to be prepared for what's coming. I wanna help you understand the things that people say about you Once God has set you apart, the first thing they're gonna say about you is that you're strange or you're different. Look at the life of Joseph, Genesis 37. I'll read verses 3 through 4. Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph, a beautiful robe, but his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn't say a kind word to him. Notice that Joseph was favored by the father. And because he was favored by the father, he was set apart. And one of the ways that he was marked, one of the ways that this favor was demonstrated, at least visibly, was through this coat of many colors. That coat that he wore was a symbol of the favor on his life. And when his brothers saw that, they became jealous. They hated him for it. That coat made him stand out because the favor made him stand out. And in the same way, when God favors you, when God begins to use you, when God begins to raise you, when God begins to affect your life in such a way that others around you start to become transformed, then you're gonna stand out. And when you stand out, people are gonna perceive you as different, as strange. You're not gonna be doing the same things that everyone else is doing. You're not gonna be comfortable with the things that everyone else is comfortable with. You're not gonna be able to say the things that you used to say. You're not gonna be able to go the places that you used to go. Your habits are going to change. And because of that, you're going to stand out and you're going to be different. And you may have noticed this, that as God begins to purify you, as God begins to make you a vessel fit for his use, people start to sneer at you. They look at you a little bit different. They're distancing themselves from you. They're no longer comfortable around you. And maybe they're even talking about you. behind your back, talking about how different you are now, how strange, how peculiar. And that's the truth of the matter. When you surrender your life to the precious Holy Spirit, and as his power begins to flow through you, you become strange, different, otherworldly. You're influenced by the heavenly realm, not necessarily by the earthly realm anymore. In 1 Peter 2:9, we read, but ye are a chosen generation, A royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. So it's to the glory of God that you're different. Now I know that that's not always comfortable. Sometimes you may be a little bit self-conscious because of the way that you stand out. Maybe you walk into a room and you can sort of feel the atmosphere shift. That's the call of God upon your life. That's the grace of the hand of God upon you. Don't despise that. Don't regret having that. Embrace that, celebrate that. Because of that difference in you, that difference is going to bring praise to our heavenly Father. People will glorify God because of the different way that you live and exist in this world. Another thing they're gonna say about you is actually quite common once God begins to start using you in your gifts. I'll read first Genesis 37:5-6. and then I'll tell you what people say. One night Joseph had a dream. And when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. Listen to this dream, he said. We were out in the field tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine. His brothers responded, so you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us? And they hated him all the more. Because of his dreams and the way he talked about them. He actually believed what he heard or what he saw. Verse 9, soon Joseph had another dream. And again, he told his brothers about it. Listen, I've had another dream, he said. The sun, moon, and 11 stars bowed low before me. This time he told the dream to his father as well as to his brothers, but his father scolded him. What kind of dream is that? he asked. Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow to the ground before you? Now, when you think of it, it's rather grand to think of yourself as called. That God would use us for his glory, that's a spectacular idea. So I understand why people might be offended by that notion. But remember this, God doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called. And because he has chosen you and because he'll begin to use you, people are gonna say about you, that you are arrogant, that you are prideful, that you are full of self. There's a phrase that I like to say, and it goes like this: confidence looks like arrogance to the insecure. That is, that when you place your confidence in God, when you're confident in his power, when you're confident in his grace, when you're confident in what he's spoken for you to do, then people who are insecure will perceive that confidence as arrogance because it offends their insecurities. Now, this doesn't mean that we're immune to being arrogant or that we're immune to pride. You have to watch for those things, of course. But this does mean that if you're gonna dare to believe that God wants to use you, if you're gonna dare to believe the dreams that he's placed in your heart, if you're gonna dare to believe that God has instructed you to perform a specific task or a specific spiritual mission, then people are going to label you as arrogant. People are going to say that you're prideful. People will say that you're self-absorbed. If the Lord calls you to write a book, people will say, who wants to read that book? Who do you think that you are? If God calls you to begin to do social media posts, people are gonna say, well, you just wanna be famous, or you think you're special, or you think you're a celebrity. If you— If you feel you're called by God to preach or to teach or to serve in any ministry capacity, people may say about you, how arrogant to think that God would actually want to use you. What makes you so special? What makes you so different? But remember, it's the favor of God. And so people around you, and sadly, even people who love you, even close friends, even close family members can become jealous or offended by your confidence in God. And they may say that you're arrogant. The response to this isn't to criticize them back. The response to this isn't to say, well, you're not spiritual, or you don't have the deeper things of God, or you don't have the relationship with God that I have. That would be arrogant to respond in that way. Rather, just be silent. Let them make their criticisms. Stay focused on God. Stay focused on what he's called you to do. They'll call you arrogant, but remember that your confidence is in God. And that confidence looks like arrogance to the insecure. Next, they'll say something actually kind of nice about you. And by the way, sometimes this goes in the sequence that I'm saying, and sometimes it could be a mixture. And in fact, in every season where God is using you, people are probably gonna be saying all these things at once. But this next one is actually kind of nice. And that is, they'll say that you're inspiring. Now, if we skip ahead on the storyline of Joseph's life, we'll see that Joseph found himself in the house of a man named Potiphar. Potiphar was so inspired by Joseph's excellence that he promoted him to be second in charge. Even Pharaoh, who Joseph eventually encountered, became inspired by the work that God was doing through the life of Joseph. Your life becomes a display of God's ability, and people will say kind things about you. In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus said, You are the light of the world, like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. So your life can bring praise to the heavenly Father. Your life can be an inspiration to others. And while there's nothing wrong with that, it's very important that you remember to who the glory belongs. The glory doesn't belong to the vessel. The glory belongs to the Lord. The glory doesn't belong to the servant. The glory belongs to God. God called you. God gifted you. God strengthened you. God graced you. God gave you a voice to speak, influence to have. God gave you resources to use. God gave you the strength to continue. Therefore, God gets the glory for using When we empty ourselves of ego, when we empty ourselves of pride, when we empty ourselves of self-reliance, and we fully trust in God, God will begin to use us in ways that surprise even us. We'll look at what God is doing and say, I can't believe this. I look all the time at what God is doing through this ministry. I'm just the steward of this ministry, but this is his ministry. I look all the time at what God is doing through this ministry. And sometimes I have to pause and look around and take it all in and say something like, I can't believe This is actually happening. I mean, I can because God gave me the faith for it, but on the other side of the coin, I'm constantly thinking, how can this be? What a wonderful work that God is doing. And so there's nothing wrong with celebrating what God is doing through you. But remember that while those compliments come, and while people will say you're inspiring, and while people will say that you're gifted, and people will say that you're anointed, it's important to remember your position. You are not a celebrity, you are a servant. Even if God is using you on some large capacity, reaching millions of people, it doesn't matter. You're just the vessel. God is the one who gets the glory. Now, another thing that people will say about you, and this is especially true of those who believe big, like God speaks something to you and you grab ahold of it and you say, I'm gonna stand on this word and I'm gonna choose to believe this. Is people will say that you're delusional or you're a dreamer or your head is in the clouds. Genesis 37:18-20. When Joseph's brothers saw him coming, they recognized him in the distance. So we're going back a little further now in the story before Joseph was thrown into the pit. As he approached, they made plans to kill him. Here comes the dreamer, they said. Come on, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. We can tell our father a wild animal has eaten him. Then we'll see what becomes of his dreams. You know, when you believe the big and the seemingly impossible, when you believe that it can happen now instead of in a few years, when you think that your life can make an impact, people will call you a dreamer. People will say that you're not being realistic. People will tell you to lower your expectations and to be a little bit more grounded. And while I understand that we should be practically grounded in every way, as the scripture instructs, we also have to remember that we're not operating in our ability. We're operating in God's ability. We're not operating in our power. When we walk in faith, we trade our power for God's power. And so you and I will be accused of being delusional. That's okay. Let them say you're delusional, because the ones who others call delusional, are the ones who see the promise fulfilled. The ones who others label as crazy are the ones that accomplish great things. Have big faith in our big God. Maybe you're called to write that book. People are gonna say you're delusional. Maybe you're called to start that Bible study. People will say you're delusional. If God calls you to start a church, to start a business, to take some step of faith for his glory, people will say you're crazy, But that's okay. They said the same thing about Joseph. They said, here comes the dreamer. Let the same be said of you. Now, if this is encouraging you, inspiring you, leave a like on the video. By leaving a like on this video, you're gonna help it to spread to more people. You never know who will see this video, who's gonna be encouraged, who's gonna be inspired. Leave a comment on the video. That helps even more. And if you're enjoying this teaching, don't forget to subscribe. So that you don't miss any of the content coming out of my channel. By the way, when you do subscribe, make sure you click that notification bell so that you don't miss any of the content coming your way. This one's a little bit more troubling, especially if you wanna be used by God and you know that there are some trials coming. Sometimes we're a little bit apprehensive and maybe we might be wondering, okay, what's this gonna cost me? Here's one of the ways it's gonna cost you. One of the things they're gonna say about you is that you're full of sin. People will make accusations about you purely out of conjecture, purely out of their own perception. They may look at you and say something as vague as, well, I don't know, something just doesn't sit right in my spirit. Or they may think they're hearing from the Holy Spirit and they'll say something like, well, the Holy Spirit told me to stop connecting with this person. Or the Holy Spirit told me to stop watching this person or listening to this person or doing ministry with this person. When really it was their personal discomfort, possibly even jealousy, that caused them to be led astray. And so they're gonna say the same about you. Look at what happened to Joseph. Genesis 39:14-21. She called out to her servants. Soon all the men came running. This is Potiphar's wife now. Look, she said, my husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to make fools of us. And now she's accusing Joseph. He came into my room to rape me, but I screamed. When he heard me scream, he ran outside and got away. but he left his cloak behind with me. She kept the cloak with her until her husband came home. Then she told him her story. That Hebrew slave you brought into our house tried to come in and fool around with me, she said. But when I screamed, he ran outside, leaving his cloak with me. Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife's story about how Joseph had treated her. So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king's prisoners were held. And there he remained. But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. Now what actually happened is that Potiphar's wife approached Joseph, tried to get him to sleep with her. And when he resisted and ran off, she pulled off his cloak. And then she used his act of integrity as evidence against him in her false accusation. Now, the accusations may not be this specific or may not be this harsh, but people are gonna speak evil of you if you decide to step out and be used of God. When God has set you apart, when God anoints you, when you start choosing to live holy and you start choosing to do away with compromise, I mean, you really begin to take this seriously, people are gonna say things about you, be ready for it. They're gonna say you're a fake. They're gonna say it's only a matter of time before you go back to your old ways. They're gonna say that you're in it for yourself. They're gonna say all sorts of things. You name it, they're gonna say it about you. And Jesus told us that we're blessed when people speak all manner of evil things against us, because we're doing things for the glory of God. So really, really what's happening now is we are being like Jesus. What a privilege it is to be persecuted for righteousness' sake. What a privilege and a joy that it is to be persecuted because we're living for the glory of God. Think about this. Jesus lived with sinless perfection. Jesus never said anything wrong. Jesus never did anything wrong. Jesus never thought anything wrong. Jesus was absolutely perfect. And people still made accusations against him. And people still perceived him in a negative light. And people still said evil things Things about him. If they persecuted Jesus, who was perfect, if they accused Jesus, who was perfect, if they talked about Jesus, who was perfect, they're gonna talk about you. Now, this is gonna be key for those of you who are in public ministry. I don't mean to alienate the other viewers, but I wanna take a quick note for those who are in public ministry, and then I'm gonna get back to making points that apply to everybody. This is a test that you must pass if you wanna be in public ministry. It's inevitable. I've seen ministers begin, and they have it in their minds that if they just do everything in perfect order, that they're never gonna draw any criticism whatsoever. And I understand wanting balance, and I understand wanting to be biblically grounded. I feel the same way. And of course I walk in biblical balance, and I walk in a way where I'm biblically grounded. But even if you do that, there are gonna be people who speak against you. And if you try to prevent that, you're gonna be living in fear. Yeah. And you're never gonna be able to move forward and take risks for the kingdom of God, or do things for the glory of God that are beyond the norm. So here's what happens. Here's what happens. Every minister that I know who's in public ministry, and there are no exceptions, they have to go through the fire of public criticism. So what happens is they come onto the scene, so to speak, People start hearing about them, their ministries gain some traction, and that traction never comes without resistance because the moment you start becoming effective, people who are opposed to your worldview or people who are opposed to your doctrinal view, they begin to become threatened by the fact that you're advancing something that they're against. So for example, I'm a charismatic, I don't apologize for that. I believe in speaking in tongues. I believe in manifestations of the Holy Spirit's power, like being slain in the Spirit. I believe in biblical prosperity. I believe in healing. I believe in the spiritual gifts being active today, all of that. So whenever people see me advancing, so to speak, and I wanna be careful about the way I say that, they're not offended by the fact that David Hernandez is having views on his content. They're offended by the fact that I'm advancing what they're against, namely the charismatic expression of Christianity. So we can't take that personal either. But we must remember this, that when someone comes onto the scene, first there's that explosion where people start to hear about them, and then comes the criticism. And I've seen people squander their growth. Please hear this now, because you may be next. I've seen people squander their growth because they don't know how to go through the fire of criticism. They allow the criticisms to make them bitter. They allow the criticisms to seep into their preaching, to where now they're preaching against the critics instead of preaching instead of just preaching to the people who love them and watch them and receive from their ministry. They wanna defend themselves at every opportunity. They wanna clear up every misunderstanding. Listen, there's gonna be people who are committed to misunderstanding you. So even if you clarify something, your clarification will be twisted to become a new misunderstanding. And there's nothing you can do about that. It's like a fire that keeps on spreading. And it's not gonna accomplish what you think it's going to accomplish by addressing every little thing. Yeah. So in fact, I rarely address criticisms and I advise the same. But if you can make it through that fire, if you can make it through that season, and it is going to, you can be balanced, you can be biblical, you can be likable, it doesn't matter. The criticisms will come. And if you can make it through that fire of criticism, then you will experience a new level of influence because people watch how you go through the fire. Now here's the thing. It's not just a one-time deal. Every time you see a new level of ministry expression, every time you see an increase of influence, every time you see your capacity to flow in the anointing increase, that invites a new wave of criticism, each one harsher and each one more intense than the one before. But if you can just navigate that with wisdom and spiritual poise and spiritual maturity and focus and clarity and stay on target and stay focused on what God has called you to do, then you will outlive the criticism. Your ministry will survive. When you're in it, you may feel like, okay, everything's falling apart. I'm losing influence. I'm losing resources. I'm losing connections. People are distancing themselves from me. Doesn't matter. Every minister I know has gone through this, if they have any influence in the public sphere whatsoever. So be ready for it, embrace it with gladness. Don't try to go out in every instance and defend yourself. Stop trying to explain yourself to people. Stop trying to get everyone on your side. Stop trying to put out every misperception and just embrace the fact that some people just won't like you. And some people are going to speak evil of you. Count it all joy and say, okay, this makes me a little bit more like Jesus. This is part of the fellowship of his sufferings that helps me to know him. And I'm gonna move forward with confidence, knowing that God is with me. Let them say it and keep moving. And if you could survive that season, you go into number 6, where they're saying, they're one of us. So that's the, those are the phases. At first there's criticism and resistance. And then what begins to happen now is fruit begins to demonstrate the hand of God on your life. And people can't argue with that. People can't argue with the healing testimonies, the deliverance testimonies, the people's lives being transformed through the teaching and the preaching, the people being helped through the ministry. People can't argue with that. And so the phases are, first there's the resistance. And then after you've gone through the wall, let's just imagine there's a brick wall. You brought breakthrough for the church in that area. Now you're through the wall. Yeah, you got bloodied up, you got bruised up. Maybe you got a little messed up going through the wall, but now the wall is gone and others can now walk through that path. That's what we're seeing all throughout church history. So for example, today where people are criticizing the gift of tongues, people are criticizing manifestations of his power. I'm telling you, there's coming a day where it's gonna be accepted widespread again. And that is coming soon, but we have to keep pushing through. We have to make sure to get on the other side. And then one day, not only will there be very little criticism, but people won't even be afraid to be associated with people who walk in that kind of power. And that's what you're gonna be a part of. That's what you're gonna be a part of. They're gonna say, they're one of us. Look what happens, Genesis 42:6. Since Joseph was governor of all of Egypt and in charge of selling grain to all the people, it was to him that his brothers came. When they arrived, they bowed before him with their faces to the ground. And in other words, The dream was fulfilled. And now they're acknowledging, whether they realized it or not, they're acknowledging that God worked through him, that everything that God had spoken to him was true. And this is the movement you're a part of. Listen to me. This is the movement you're a part of. There is coming a day when the power of the Holy Spirit is going to be commonplace in all churches of all denominations in all nations. Speaking in tongues, praying for the sick, casting out devils, biblical prosperity, manifestations of his power, the spiritual gifts on display, worship where the presence of God manifests, miracles in everyday life, a supernatural mindset, evangelism with Holy Spirit fire. That day is coming. It's quickly approaching. And we're already seeing the momentum. No one's gonna be able to stop that momentum. This is what you're a part of. And so as you see God begin to use you, Yes, you're gonna go through that difficult season. Yes, you're gonna go through the phases where people talk about you and dismiss you and call you arrogant, call you delusional. But there is coming a day where the fruit will be produced. And when the fruit is produced, that produces a whole new generation of believers who now embrace what the religious systems once rejected. They may reject you now, But there's coming a day where the influence through your life cannot be denied. So Father, I pray in the name of Jesus, you help your people to stay on track. Help them to stay focused, Lord, on you and on the mission to which you've called them. Precious Holy Spirit, draw their attention away from the words that others speak about them and place their attention on Jesus. Help them to endure with grace and with poise and with spiritual maturity the attacks of those around them. Thank you, Lord, that you have set them apart and use them for your glory. And Father, I pray also for those who are Believing for their healing, let that healing virtue flow and make them completely whole in the name of Jesus. Come on, believe for your healing right now. In the name of Jesus, I speak healing to their body. Restore them, Lord. Bring them out of that sickness in the name of Jesus. And Lord, break every bondage. Destroy every demonic power. And Lord, cancel every plan of hell over their lives. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray. I want you to say it because you believe it. Say amen. Well, this is what the Bible says in Proverbs 11:25. The generous will prosper. Those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. As you sow into others, God will cause others to sow into you. And as you sow into his ministry, God will bring others alongside you to sow into the visions and the dreams that God has placed in your life. This is one of the reasons I believe that our ministry is so fruitful. The Holy Spirit over the years has helped me to be mindful of sowing and reaping as a biblical principle. And I've noticed this, that as I sow into other ministries, God blesses the ministry that I'm stewarding. As I sow to help other people in business, God sends others around me to help with the business ventures that I have. As you sow into others, God will cause others to sow into you. And this is good soil. This ministry is highly effective, and we are seeing people saved, healed, delivered, and empowered all around the world. So I wanna encourage you to be a giver. If you have a need, sow a seed. So you can give right now by going to davidhernandezministries.com/partner to become a monthly ministry supporter. You can also give a single gift by going to davidhernandezministries.com/donate. Whatever you do, large or small, single or monthly, everything counts. Every gift matters. Everyone from the family who's sowing that $30 a month to that individual who's giving a one-time gift of $100, to that business owner who may be sowing a 6-figure gift, everything counts, and every gift will be maximized for the glory of God. Now, if you enjoyed this teaching, make sure to also check out my teaching entitled Holy Spirit's Warning: 5 Kinds of Relationships You Need to End Right Now.