Displaying Christian Sermons by tag: Joel Osteen
Joel Osteen (March-29-2024) Daily Devotional: Not by Might - Today's Inspiration Word.
Today's Scripture: Zechariah 4:6, NKJV - This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts.
Today's Word: You may be feeling worn out, just trying to make it through your days. But God is about to breathe new life into your spirit, new passion into your dreams. It won’t happen by your might or power, but by the Spirit of the living God. He’s going to make things happen that you couldn’t make happen, bring things out of you that you hadn’t known were in you. He’s going to give you a greater anointing, greater talent, greater opportunities. You’re going to see a new level of strength, a new level of stamina, a new level of endurance. What used to bother you is not going to bother you anymore. What used to be too much is going to be easy to overcome. Where you used to be intimidated and fearful, there’s going to be a boldness to step up to who you were created to be.
You have not seen your best days. You have not accomplished your biggest dreams. You have not run your best race. Get ready for explosive blessings that catapult you ahead.
Prayer for Today: Father, thank You for the power of the Holy Spirit in my life that is so much greater than all of my might and power. Thank You that You are coming to equip and empower me in ways I don’t even know I need. I believe Your Spirit will lift me up to become all You created me to be. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Joel Osteen - Sermon: Time Is On Your Side. Sometimes it can feel like we've lost time we can't get back. But God knows how to restore you. He's not just going to deliver you from the difficult season; He's going to make up for the time you lost. I want to talk to you today about time being on your side. We've all been through seasons in life where it feels like we've lost time.
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Joel: God bless you. It's great to have you with us today. I hope you'll stay connected with us through the week. You can download our podcast, listen to the messages any time, or you can go to our YouTube channel. But thanks again for tuning in. I like to start with something funny. One day, Jesus and Satan were having a contest to see who was better with computers. After six hours of making spreadsheets and designing web pages, a thunderstorm knocked the power out. When they rebooted their computers, Satan started screaming, "It's all lost. All my material is gone." While Jesus quietly walked over and printed out his and turned it in. Satan complained, "This isn't fair. He must have cheated. How come he didn't lose his material?" God smiled and said, "Jesus saves." 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 time being on your side. We've all been through seasons in life where it feels like we've lost time. We were in a relationship that didn't work out; we've lost those years. We weren't raised in a healthy environment; it feels like we've lost our childhood. We came down with an illness or struggled with an addiction. Months passed, maybe years, it's time that we can't get back. It's easy to think, "That was just a rough season, there's nothing that I can do about it." But God said in the book of Joel, "I will restore the years that the locusts have eaten, the years that the cankerworm and palmerworm have destroyed." It's said that time is the one thing that we can't get back. That's true in the natural, but we have a supernatural God. He knows how to make up for lost time. He's not going to just restore you, he's going to restore the years that you spent in that relationship that didn't make it. It feels like it was a waste of time, but God is going to make the rest of your life so fulfilling that you don't think about what you've been through. He's not going to just bring you out of that illness; he's going to restore the years that you spent taking the treatment. Your latter days will be better than your former days. Here's how good God is, he's even going to restore the years that we've wasted making poor choices, running with the wrong crowd. Years you should have been studying, but you spent them partying. Years that you should have been raising children, but you were distracted doing other things. Years you should have been pursuing your dreams, but you let fear and opposition hold you back. It should be too late, you missed your chance, God is saying, "Get ready, I'm about to restore the years. I'm about to make up for the time you missed with your children." He's not going to just restore the relationship; he's going to restore the years. He's going to make it as if you never lost that time. That company you've spent years at; they didn't treat you fairly, God is not going to just turn it around, but he's going to pay you back for what should have been yours.
In this passage from the book of Joel, the Israelites planted their crops, watered them, did their best to keep the weeds out. Everything was going great, the crops took off, but when they were about to harvest them, swarms of locusts came in, like a mighty army, and ate up all the crops. I'm sure the Israelites were discouraged. It wasn't fair. They had worked hard but had nothing to show for it. They made it through that winter, believed that God was still in control. The next year they went out and planted their crops. They thought, "That setback can't stop us. We didn't have a harvest last year, but God sustained us. We'll have one this year." But when the crops were ready to harvest, here came the locusts, just like the year before. When they saw them over the horizon, I can imagine how their hearts sunk. As they sat there and watched millions of locusts slowly eat up their crops, it was like pouring salt on the wound. This didn't happen just one year, or just two years, but four consecutive years their harvest was completely wiped out. They were tempted to think, "There's no use even planting. It's not worth the effort. We know what's going to happen. These locusts are going to come right back."
"Joel, I'm believing for my health to improve, but every time I go for a checkup, it's the same negative report." "I'm being my best at work, but I'm not being promoted." Like them, it feels like your harvest is being eaten. You're doing the right thing, but the locusts keep showing up. While the Israelites were discouraged, thinking they would never see a harvest, God spoke to them through the prophet Joel. He said, in effect, "I know it hasn't been fair. I've seen what didn't work out, I've seen what's been stolen. I'm not going to just stop the locusts, I'm not going to just give you a harvest this season. I'm going to restore the years that were stolen. I'm going to give you this season's harvest, plus four more harvest seasons." That's how amazing God is. He's going to make up for the years that you've lost. The scripture went on to say, "Your threshing floor will be full of grain, your storehouses will overflow with wheat and oil, you will have an abundance and be satisfied." Notice what happens when God restores: abundance, overflow, more than enough. They had been in famine, not seeing any increase, and suddenly God not only turned it around, but he paid them back for the lost years. He made up for what should have been theirs. God is keeping a record of everything that should have been yours. He knows what you didn't get. He saw you working hard, raising those children, making sacrifices, but they haven't turned out like they should. He saw you taking the treatment, keeping a good attitude, praising Him when it wasn't improving, thanking Him when you didn't feel well. He saw you struggling with the addiction, trying to beat it, going to counseling, quoting the promises, but it hasn't changed. Your harvest hasn't come.
Don't worry, it's on the way. God is not going to just free you, heal you, just turn your children around; He's going to restore the years that you've lost. You're going to still get a harvest from all those years you prayed, those years you believed, those years you did the right thing, worked hard, helped others. That harvest has been stored up. The enemy may think he took it, but God has the final say. He has blessings stored up for you. When He restores the years, you're going to be more fulfilled than you've ever been. You're going to be healthier, stronger, have more energy. You're going to have better relationships than you've ever dreamed. You're going to overflow with blessings, overflow with joy, overflow with favor.
A man I know was married at a young age. They struggled as a young couple and had some rough years, but he was determined to make it work. He went overboard to love, to forgive, to go the extra mile. They had two children, but at one point, the wife checked out. She was done. This man kept being his best, raising the children basically by himself. The wife was still there but she wouldn't have anything to do with him. He kept praying, believing, asking God to turn it around, but on his twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, she left a note saying she was leaving. This man was so heartbroken. When I saw him, it looked like he had aged twenty years. He was normally so upbeat, fun, positive, but it was like all the life had been drained out of him. I tried to encourage him and let him know that there were good days up ahead, but he was so down. He said, "I've invested all this time, I've poured my heart and soul, trying to make my marriage work and it was all for nothing."
God sees the years you've lost. He knows the pain, the hurt, what wasn't fair. The beauty of our God is He doesn't just heal the wounds, He restores the years. He makes up for what wasn't fair. You may feel like you're in one of those lost years. The pandemic has slowed your business, put your dreams on hold, you're dealing with an illness, a child is off course. You've invested so much but it looks like it was wasted. The locusts came in and ate up your harvest. Stay encouraged, payback is coming. God is keeping the records. He knows how to not just restore you but restore the years that were stolen. The years that were unfair, the years that were lonely, the years you struggled with that depression. When God restores the years, you're not going to look like what you've been through. When He makes up for what should have been yours, nobody is going to know that you had the illness, nobody will know that you went through the breakup. You'll be so blessed, so happy, so healthy, nobody will be able to tell.
Over time, my friend began to get his joy back, his passion back, his vision back. Instead of living defeated, he started thanking God that there was beauty for those ashes, that what was meant for harm God was turning to his advantage. Three years later, he met a beautiful young lady; they fell in love and ended up getting married. I'll never forget what he told me. He said, "Joel, I have never been this happy in all my life. I never dreamed I could be this fulfilled, I didn't know what a healthy relationship was." What was that? God restoring the years that were lost. God knows how to make up for what should have been yours. Just because it hasn't happened, doesn't mean that it's not going to happen. God is storing up what belongs to you. I believe He's about to release some of those stored-up blessings. When He restores the years, you'll see increase that you've never seen, blessings that will catapult you ahead, divine connections, people better than you've ever imagined. Those locusts may have eaten up your crops, so to speak, they may have taken your harvest, but the good news is it's only temporary. Everything that belongs to you is coming back: the health, the freedom, the promotion, the joy, the victory. It's not coming back like it was, it's going to come back pressed down, shaken together, running over. When God restores the years, like with my friend, your joy will overflow, you'll have an abundance of opportunity, an abundance of resources, an abundance of good health.
The Israelites had been in slavery for many years. They were mistreated, forced to work long hours, given quotas that were impossible to meet. Despite how unfair it was, they kept working hard, being their best, but not seeing any increase, no harvest. They thought it was permanent, they had already accepted that they would never be free, but God sees when you're being mistreated. He sees when you're doing the right thing, but the locusts are eating your harvest. It may feel like God has forgotten about you, you've accepted that you'll always struggle, always be at a disadvantage, always have that trouble at work, but your time is coming. God said in Exodus, "I have seen the affliction of my people, I have heard their cries, and I am coming down to deliver them." God was saying, in effect, "Enough is enough." There will be a time where God says, "That's it. I'm coming down to vindicate you, to heal you, to promote you, to pay you back for what you're owed." The Pharaoh that was holding them captive was very powerful. He had a huge army, the latest equipment, chariots, skilled warriors.
The Israelites had none of that. No chance in the natural; they were slaves. But God is not limited by what you don't have, by who's against you, by how powerful the sickness looks, by how long you've struggled, by how far off course that child is. Nothing can stand against our God. When He comes down to deliver you, all the forces of darkness cannot stop Him. Don't focus on how big your obstacles are, focus on how big your God is. He flung stars into space, He spoke worlds into existence. He's saying to you what He said to them, "I'm coming down to deliver you. I'm coming down to make things happen that you couldn't make happen on your own. I'm coming down to restore the years that you've lost."
God sent plague after plague on Pharaoh and his people. He was stubborn, but he finally agreed to let them go. I'm sure the Israelites were thrilled to be free. It was a day they never dreamed would happen. They were satisfied to just be leaving, but God wasn't satisfied. He doesn't just bring you out; He restores the years that were stolen. He pays you back for what should have been yours. On their way out, the scripture says, "God caused the Israelites to have favor with their oppressors, and they gave them their gold, their silver, and their clothing." One version says they left loaded down with blessings. What was that? God paying them back for four hundred and thirty years of working as slaves. God is keeping the records of what you are owed. Those times you've done the right thing, but the locusts ate up your harvest. You did your best, but you didn't get promoted, the loan didn't go through, the anxiety didn't go away. Despite it all, you kept believing, praising, being good to others. Like these people, your time is coming. God is storing up the harvest that should have been yours. It seems like the locusts are eating it, but the truth is what God has for you is still on the way. The joy that should have been yours, those years you were dealing with depression, it's still coming. The resources that should have been yours, those years you were overlooked, they're still on the way. The healing, the good relationships, the victory you missed out on is still in your future.
Our daughter Alexandra was born a month and a half before my father went to be with the Lord. During that time, he was on dialysis, and many times I would take him to the clinic. It was a very busy season. Then, when he went to be with the Lord, our whole life changed. I was thrust into this position. I was doing my best to just stay afloat. I don't remember very well the first couple of years of Alexandra's life. We were in such transition, and I was learning how to minister and trying to figure everything out. It consumed me. Several years later, I realized I didn't have the same memories of Alexandra's first few years like I did with our son Jonathan's. I said, almost in passing, "God, I'm asking You to restore those years that I lost by being so busy and so preoccupied with other things." Alexandra was eight years old when I prayed that. All she wanted to do was to be with me. She would rather go out in the backyard and let me watch her do cartwheels than go over to her friends. Sometimes I needed a break; I'd say, "Why don't you go swimming with your cousins? Why don't you have your friends over?" She'd say, "No, Dad, I want to stay here with you." She'd come up to me all through the day, put her arm around me, walk around the house. We were the best of friends. She's twenty-one years old now and doesn't know who I am. I'm just kidding; we're still the best of friends. You know what that is? God restoring the years, making up for lost time. God is going to do that for you. He's going to restore opportunities that you missed. He's going to restore relationships that are not what they should be. He's going to restore the years you lost not making good decisions, giving in to compromise. You don't have to live with regrets, thinking you missed your season. It's too late to accomplish your dreams, too late to have good relationships with your family, there's too much water under the bridge. God knew we would make mistakes. He's not going to just redeem you; He's going to redeem the time. He's going to give you another chance. Don't believe those lies that you're too old, you've made too many mistakes. You wouldn't be hearing this if God wasn't about to restore the years. He's about to make up for that harvest that you missed.
I have a digital clock on my bathroom counter at home. It gets its information from a satellite. Unlike older clocks that rely on their own software to keep time, these digital clocks come from a master clock that's transmitted from a satellite. A while back, I was about to get in the shower one evening, and I noticed that it was 9:30. A few minutes later, when I got out of the shower, I looked at the clock, and it read 9:22. I thought that's strange; I know it was just 9:30. I thought I must be seeing things. While I was watching it, the clock went back to 9:18. In a few seconds, it went to 9:07. It kept backing up. I realized it was getting bad reception, but I had never seen that happen before. What's interesting is that day I had a very busy schedule. I had a lot to do but hardly got anything done. I had interruptions, delays, things that didn't work out. I was kind of frustrated, thinking what an unproductive day. When I saw the clock go backwards, it's as if God was saying to me, "Joel, quit worrying about what you didn't get done. I control time. I can back things up, I can make up for lost time." You may have missed opportunities, missed relationships. They were there, but you were distracted, you weren't focused, and they passed you by. Don't worry, God can turn back time. He's about to bring things across your path that should have been yours years ago. You missed it the first time, like I did with Alexandra, but God's about to give you another chance. He's about to turn back time.
I was at a book signing years ago. I met this lady; she and her daughter were estranged. They hadn't spoken to each other in years. She had reached out to her daughter many times with no success. Now she was discouraged, feeling guilty. She heard me talking about how God can restore the years that were lost, even when it was our fault, how He can turn back time and give us another chance. Faith rose in her heart. She said, "God, do that for me." She kept trying, but the daughter wouldn't have anything to do with her. Months later, she came to the book signing. Out of the hundreds of people there, she noticed that her daughter was in line. She hadn't seen her in person in years. She went over to her; it was a divine appointment. They embraced, held on to each other, while they wept, healing was taking place. When they came up to the table, they were both still weeping. The mother told how she didn't know her daughter watched us on television. She had no idea she'd be at that book signing, but that was a turning point. Today, they're the best of friends. They do everything together. God knows how to turn back time. It's not too late for you to have good relationships. It's not too late for you to accomplish your dreams. God is about to put you at the right place at the right time. He's going to make things happen that you couldn't make happen. That time you've lost being at odds with people you love, God's about to restore those years. That time you've spent fighting the illness, not able to go to work, not pursuing your dreams, God is going to turn back time. He's going to make up for what should have been yours. The locusts may have eaten your harvest, they may have delayed some things, but the good news is God is going to pay you back. He's going to restore those years of harvest that you missed out on.
One time, Joshua and the Israelites were battling five armies. God told Joshua that he was going to win. The problem was they were running out of time. It was about to get dark, and the enemy forces would escape. They could regroup and come against Joshua again. He knew he needed to finish them off; he just needed more time. Instead of being discouraged, thinking it was too late, Joshua was bold. He looked up in the sky and said, "Sun, stand still. Moon, stay where you are." I can imagine people looking at Joshua thinking, "Are you crazy? You think you can stop time? You can pause the solar system so you can finish this battle?" The scripture says, "The sun stopped in the middle of the sky. It stood still until the Israelites defeated their enemies." It may feel like it's too late for you to accomplish dreams, too late to get your degree, too late to write that book, too late to overcome that obstacle. If you just knew back then what you know now, then you would have stayed in school, you would have raised the children differently, you would have started that business. If you just had more time. God is going to do for you what He did for Joshua. He's going to freeze time so you can finish what you started. He's going to help you accomplish what you could have accomplished in an earlier season of life. He's not going to let you miss your destiny. You're not running out of time; time is on your side because God is on your side. He controls time. He's not limited by a clock, by a calendar, by age, by year. This is your chance to step up to a new level. Your chance to break the addiction, to go back to school, to make your marriage great. God is going to cause you to accomplish more in less time. He's going to make you more effective, more productive, more focused, more skilled. There's going to be greater favor on your life. Now, don't sit back and think, "I waited too long, I'm too old. I don't have the experience, the training, the discipline." No, this is a window, like with Joshua, where God is going to freeze time. He's going to give you the opportunity to finish what you started.
I met a lady after service. She was a hundred and three years old. Her mind was as sharp as can be. She had a great sense of humor. She told how she'd promised her mother that she would get her college degree. But she got married and spent years raising her children. Then she worked in an office at this large company. After she retired, she was busy with her grandchildren. But in the back of her mind, it always bothered her that she didn't keep her promise. She kept putting it off. In her nineties, she started having some health issues. After spending a couple of months in the hospital, it didn't look like she was going to make it, but somehow, she recovered. When she was released, she told the doctor that she was going back to college to get her college degree. She spent three years finishing up her degree and at 103 was the oldest person to ever graduate from that university. God knows how to freeze things until you accomplish what He put in your heart. It may feel like you're running out of time, but God wouldn't have planned out your days, He wouldn't have given you a destiny and then not given you the time to fulfill it. It may seem like it's too late; you've missed your season. If you would have pursued that dream twenty years ago, it would have worked. If you would have invested in your marriage, your business, your children back then, you could have accomplished it. No, there's still time. I wonder what would happen if you would do like Joshua and say, "Sun, stand still. God, I need more time to spend with my children. I didn't know back then what I know now. I need more time to finish my education, more time to accomplish my dream." God gave Joshua an extra day to finish his assignment. God said He would restore the years that you've lost. You're not running out of time. Time is on your side. I believe and declare, everything God put in your heart will come to pass. What the locusts have eaten, all those harvests that belong to you are about to show up. God is about to restore the years that were stolen. You're going to see favor like you've never seen, healing, freedom, breakthroughs, promotion, the fullness of your destiny, in Jesus' name.
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." If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. We'd love to give you some free information on your new walk with the Lord. Just text the number on the screen. I hope you'll get into a good Bible-based church. Keep God first place.
Joel: Thanks for watching this message. I hope you enjoyed it. We upload new videos every week to keep you inspired and encouraged. So don't forget to hit the like button and make sure you subscribe to our channel.
Victoria: Let us know in the comments below how this message has encouraged you. We would love to hear from you. We're praying for you and your family. We'll see you next time!
Joel Osteen (March-28-2024) Daily Devotional: Out with the Old - Today's Inspiration Word.
Today's Scripture: Isaiah 61:3, NKJV - To give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
Today's Word: When someone hurts you, takes advantage of you, or breaks their promise to you, if you keep thinking about it, you’re letting them continue to hurt you. Don’t give them your power. You have to let it go. Give it to God. He saw what they did. He saw your tears and heartache, and He knows how to pay you back for the wrongs. He has beauty for the ashes, but you have to let go of the ashes before you can see the beauty. God says, “You give me the ashes, you quit dwelling on the hurts, you forgive them, you move forward with your life, and I’ll give you the beauty. I’ll give you the oil of joy and a garment of praise. That old spirit of heaviness has to go.”
The new thing God is going to do for you is going to be supernatural. The new people, the new opportunities, the promotion, healing, and influence that He has for you will be better than you ever dreamed. Get ready for the beauty.
Prayer for Today: Father, thank You that the past is over and done and I can quit dwelling on it. Thank You that You had a purpose for the good and the bad of my past and that I can let it go and move forward. I believe You are giving me beauty for ashes and the oil of joy. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Joel Osteen - Sermon: You're Coming Out. We all face situations that look permanent in our health, relationships and careers. It’s easy to think that’s the way it will always be. In this exciting message, let Joel give you the faith tools to move into that next chapter in life. You may be walking through a valley, but know this: it’s not your destiny to stay there. Build your faith with this motivating message. Psalm 84:6, says, "Passing through the valley of weeping, you will find pools of blessing." When you’re in the valley, if you’ll stay in faith knowing that God has something better, He’ll take those tears and turn them into pools to refresh you. You’ll have the strength you need for every situation. You will come out! I want to talk to you today about your coming out. We all face situations that look permanent in our health, our relationships, our career. It's easy to think that that's the way it's always going to be. I'll always struggle with this addiction. I'll always have to deal with this depression. I'll always be at this same level. I'll never break out of the rut, do something great. But just because it seems permanent to us doesn't mean that it's permanent to God. God doesn't allow you to get into anything that He can't bring you out of.
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This is another day that the Lord has made; we are very blessed to be starting it off with you, waking up to hope together. We love you guys. You're going to be blessed as you're feeding your faith today. There's nothing you can't accomplish. Know that God is right by your side and He is strengthening you to accomplish all He's called you to do. [Music]
I want to talk to you today about your coming out. We all face situations that look permanent in our health, our relationships, our career. It's easy to think that that's the way it's always going to be. I'll always struggle with this addiction. I'll always have to deal with this depression. I'll always be at this same level. I'll never break out of the rut, do something great. But just because it seems permanent to us doesn't mean that it's permanent to God. God doesn't allow you to get into anything that He can't bring you out of. Even if it was your own fault, you brought the trouble on yourself, God wouldn't have allowed it if He didn't have a way out. He knew how to get you out of the trouble before you got into trouble. He knows the end from the beginning. He had the solution even before you had the problem. It may look to you like it's never going to change, but God is saying it's temporary. You're coming out of that sickness, you're coming out of chronic pain, you're coming out of loneliness. That debt, that addiction, that legal trouble is not going to last forever. It didn't come to stay; it came to pass. God has already made a way of escape. He's already planned your coming-out party. It's just a matter of time before you see the breakthrough, the healing, the abundance, the restoration, the new level. The scripture says in Job that God has set an end to the difficulty. He has set an end to that trouble.
God is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. He's already set an end to the sickness, an end to the addiction, an end to that injustice at work. Your coming-out date has already been established. Now, when thoughts tell you it's never going to change, you might as well accept that this is as good as it gets. No, you have to remind yourself, "I will not always be lonely. God has set an end to this loneliness. He's bringing somebody great into my life. I will not always struggle financially. God has set an end to this lack. He has promotion, increase, abundance coming my way." Or, "This child, this off-course, is not always going to cause me heartache. The Creator of the Universe, the One who spoke worlds into existence, has already decided the final date." Or maybe, "This addiction, these bad habits, are not going to hinder me my whole life. God has already put the end on His calendar. My time is coming. Freedom, wholeness, victory is in my future." That's what happened to a young lady I met. She had been a cocaine addict for 14 years, and she knew it was destroying her health, her family, her future. She was about to lose her job again, and she'd done everything she could in her own strength to try to quit, gone through counseling and treatment with no success. And she wasn't a "quote religious person." She didn't grow up in church like me, but she watched us on television every morning. She started praying, "God, please help me. I can't do this on my own. God, I need You." Simply acknowledging God.
The scripture says, "Call out to God, and He will answer you." Month after month went by. She didn't see any sign of a change. She continued struggling. But one morning, while she was praying, she felt this warmness come all over her. She couldn't explain it. She said, "I felt such a peace, such a joy that I began to weep and weep." As she sat there weeping, it was like that was cleansing her. A healing was taking place. From that moment forward, she never had a desire for the cocaine. She didn't have to go through withdrawals; she didn't have to gradually get off of it. Instantly, that addiction was broken. I saw her about 6 months later in the lobby. She looked like a different person. She was very thin and fragile before. She'd gained weight back; her skin had cleared up. She had this beautiful smile, so radiant. What happened? She came in to the end date set by the Creator of the Universe. If you will stay in faith, there will come a point where God says, "Enough is enough. That's my son; that's my daughter. I didn't create them to live with addictions, with sickness, in lack, mediocrity, being taken advantage of. I created them to be victorious, to be healthy, to be free, to lend and not borrow." God may have allowed it, but He wouldn't have let you get into it if He couldn't bring you out of it. He's already set the end to the sickness, to the legal problem, to the family situation, to the struggle. You don't know; that end date could be today. It could be this week. It could happen this month.
What if you knew that on August 22nd of this year, that was the final day God set for the difficulty? You wouldn't drag around discouraged, thinking, "Oh man, I never get any good breaks. I'll never get over this illness." No, you'd go out each morning with a spring in your step, a smile on your face, talking like it was going to happen, acting like it was going to happen. That's what faith is all about. You've got to believe it before you see it. You've got to act like it's true before you see any sign of it happening. Somebody asks you, "Are you still dealing with that sickness? Are you still under the weather?" Don't give them a 20-minute update of everything wrong with you, how bad the medical report was. Your answer should be, "Yes, I'm still dealing with it, but can I tell you? I'm coming out. I'm getting better. God is restoring health unto me. The number of my days He will fulfill." "What? Are you still struggling in your finances? You're still in debt?" "Yes, I'm still there, but I'm coming out. It's only temporary. I will lend and not borrow." "Are you still with that same company, that same position? I thought you wanted to do something better." "Yes, I'm still there, but I'm coming out. My new job is on the way. God is opening doors that no man can shut." You've got to get in agreement with God. He's saying, "Where you are is not where you're staying. You're coming out of the drought into abundance. You're coming out of fear and worry into peace. You're coming out of depression into joy. You're coming out of constant struggle, bad breaks, into the favor of God." You may not see how it can happen, but don't believe those lies. The end date has already been set. David put it this way: Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, he didn't say, "I stay in the valley, I build my house in the valley, I'm stuck in the valley." He said, in effect, "I'm coming out of this valley." The valley is temporary; you're supposed to go through it. That is not your permanent home. But if you let it become permanent in your thinking, it will keep you from your destiny.
Every one of us is going through something: a health issue, financial difficulty, struggle at work. Too often, we settle in the valley and think, "Oh man, I'll always struggle, Joel. I'll always have this back pain. I'll always have strife and division in my family. That's just who we are." We put our stakes down, build our house in the valley. I'm asking you to do what David did: pack up your belongings, pull up your stakes. The valley is not your home. You are just passing through. You are not a citizen of the valley. You don't belong there. You're illegal in the valley. You are not a citizen of death, you are not a citizen of cancer, you are not a citizen of mediocrity. That's a temporary position. You may be there for a season, but the good news is your day of departure has already been set. God has already purchased your ticket.
Now, you may be in the valley of sickness right now. The medical report doesn't look good, but take heart. Your ticket says you are headed for good health. Your ticket says you will live and not die. You may be in the valley of struggle, lack, not enough, but your ticket says you are headed to more than enough, to overflow, to abundance. Maybe you're in the valley of loneliness. You don't have much company. Stay encouraged. Your ticket says divine connections are coming, new friendships, the right people. Perhaps you're in the valley of disappointment. Something didn't work out. You went through a breakup, a business didn't make it, a friend betrayed you. Don't stay discouraged. Don't let the self-pity and bitterness take root. That is not your final destination. Your ticket says beauty for ashes. Your ticket says what was meant for your harm, God will use to your advantage.
If you will be a prisoner of hope, Zechariah said, God will bring you out with twice what you had before. He'll pay you back for the unfair things that have happened. A friend of mine recently lost her father. She was very close to her dad, and it's really difficult on her. She's in the valley right now, grieving that loss. But what I want us to see is we're not supposed to stay in the valley. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy is coming in the morning. Your ticket says new beginnings. Now, don't get stuck in the valley. Don't put your stakes down in the disappointment, the loss, the heartache, thinking you've seen your best days.
Psalm 84 says, "Passing through the valley of weeping, you'll find pools of blessing." That means when you're in the valley, if you'll stay in faith knowing that God has you in the palm of his hand, God will take your tears and turn them into pools to refresh you. You'll have the strength you need for every situation.
Genesis 15: God told Abraham, "I'm sending your people, the Israelites, into a foreign land. They will be enslaved there for 400 years. Afterwards, they will come out with great substance." What's interesting is God is the one that sent them into slavery. He said, "I'm taking you into a place that's going to be difficult." If that was the end of the story, that doesn't sound like a good deal. We think, "God, don't do me any favors." The truth is, that setback was a setup for God to do something greater. God brought them out with great substance, with more than they had before. When you go through a difficulty, a disappointment, you may not understand it, but God wouldn't have allowed it not only if he couldn't get you out, but God's going to take it one step further and bring you out with great substance, better off than you were before. A friend of mine, a young man, recently had his car stolen. He went out early in the morning to go to school, and his car wasn't there. This was the first car he had ever owned. His father had bought it for him. They filed the police report. A week went by, and they didn't find the car. Another week and another, and from time to time, I would ask the father, "Hey, have they found your son's car yet?" He would say, "No, but we're not worried. We know God's in control. He's fighting our battles. He'll make our wrongs right." About six weeks later, the insurance company paid them for the car because it was never found.
The young man thought he would go buy another used car like he had before, but God never brings you out the same. If you'll stay in faith, he'll bring you out with greater substance, greater joy, greater peace, greater resources. His father had a very nice, high-end sports car. He kept it perfect, looked brand-new. One day, a friend of his father called his father and said, "Hey, come over to my house. I want to give you something." This father had helped this man from time to time. He thought he was going to buy his dinner, do something nice like that, but this man gave his father one of the most expensive, top-of-the-line luxury cars made today. His father couldn't believe it. He was amazed. He thought, "Well, I don't need my sports car anymore." So, he got it all cleaned up, all detailed, gave it to his son. Here's how God works: before the car was stolen, the young man had a car payment. After it was stolen, the insurance company had paid off that car. He had no payment, plus he and his father both had better cars. That car being stolen was a setup for God to bring them out with great substance.
Psalm 66 says, "We went through fire, through flood, but you brought us to a place of great abundance." You may be in the fire right now, you may be in the flood, in the famine. Well, get ready. Your next step is great abundance. God's going to do more than you can ask or think. The fact is, God could have kept the car from being stolen. He's God; he controls the whole universe. When you go through a difficulty, when you face a bad break, you may not understand it, you may not like it, but God wouldn't have allowed it unless ultimately he was going to use it to your advantage. Recognize it's a setup for God to do something greater.
In Exodus 14, when God told Moses to tell Pharaoh to let the people go, the scripture says that God hardened Pharaoh's heart and caused him to say no. Here, God was the one that told him to let the people go, yet God wanted Pharaoh to say no. It goes on to say, "I have planned this so I will receive great glory at the expense of Pharaoh." There are enemies God will allow into your life, not to defeat you, not to make you miserable, but so that God can receive great glory. Every time I see my friend's new car, I think to myself, "Look what the Lord has done." You may be in a tough time, but when God brings you out, when you beat the cancer, when you break the addiction, when your marriage is restored, when you pay your house off, when you accomplish your dreams, everyone will know it wasn't just you; it was the favor of God. God wants to show out in your life. He wants to make you an example of his goodness. But we pray, "God, keep me out of all the difficulties. Don't let me face any opposition." But if that happened, number one, we wouldn't grow like we should. Our character is developed in the tough times. That's when our faith is tested and strengthened. And number two, if we never had obstacles to overcome, if we never faced impossible situations, we wouldn't see the greatness of God's power.
When we have difficulties, a lot of times we think, "Oh man, why is this happening to me? What am I doing wrong?" No, you may not be doing anything wrong. God just may want to show out in your life. He may want to use that situation to bring him great glory. One time, Jesus saw a man that had been blind since birth. His disciples asked him, "Who sinned, this man or his parents?" Jesus said, "Nobody sinned. He was born this way so that the glory of God might be seen." Jesus touched his eyes, healed him, brought him out of blindness. For the rest of his life, that man was a testimony to the goodness of God. When the Houston City Council members voted for us to have this facility, we had worked on it for nearly two years. It was a dream come true. We were so excited. But a week later, a company filed a lawsuit to try to keep us from moving in. This company was the largest taxpayer in Texas. My first thought was, "God, this is impossible. We'll never win this lawsuit. This company is huge. They've got more money, more resources, more experience. It was David versus Goliath."
But one day, I was reading this passage in Exodus 14. It says, "When I get through with Pharaoh, all of Egypt will know that I am the Lord." I could hear God saying to me, right down in here, "Joel, you just stay in faith, and when I give you that building, everyone will know it is the Lord your God." This building is a testimony of the greatness of our God. We can all say, "Look what the Lord has done." Your situation may look impossible, like ours did. The obstacle looks too big, the sickness too bad, the business too slow, the marriage too far gone. Well, get ready, you're a prime candidate for God to show himself strong. God specializes in cases that look too big, impossible, no chance. That way, when he turns it around, you will give him great glory at the expense of your enemies. The scripture says God caused Pharaoh to harden his heart; that tells me that God is in control, even of our enemies. When Satan wanted to test Job, he had to ask God for permission to even touch him. In the book of Acts, when Saul was persecuting the church, he had to get permission from the chief priests to arrest believers. He was headed to Damascus with papers in hand, thinking, "I've got permission to make their lives miserable, I got permission to bring them down." But as he was traveling, a bright light shined down from heaven, knocked him off his horse, and he fell flat on his back. What's my point? Even though he had permission, God stopped it. There are times when God will give the enemy permission to test us, the enemy has papers in hand, but just like with Saul, God will stop it. That young lady addicted to cocaine for 14 years, God said, "That's it, I'm stopping it." God can stop the cancer, stop the addiction, stop the legal situation. Every one of us can look back and see times where we know God stopped it. I was on the freeway one time, in my early 20s, and it was raining really hard. I lost control of my car, started spinning around and around. At one point, I looked up and I was going the wrong direction on the freeway. There was an 18-wheeler right in front of me, looked like I could reach out and touch its grill, just a few feet away. My life flashed before me. I thought, "That's it, I'm done." But God doesn't let you get into something that he can't bring you out of. That truck should have run over me, the enemy had the papers in hand, but God said, "No, I'm going to use this to show my power in a greater way." God stopped it. Somehow, that truck missed me. The driver pulled over to the side of the road where I was; he looked like he'd seen a ghost. His first words were, "Boy, you must be living right." He told how he felt like a big gust of wind picked up his whole rig and moved it one lane over, just in the nick of time. What am I saying? Whatever comes against you, God can stop it. He can stop the accident, stop the addiction, stop the family trouble. The enemy is not going to have the last laugh; you will. David said in Psalm 129, "From my earliest youth, my enemies have persecuted me, but they have never been able to finish me off." Can I tell you, that difficulty, it's not going to finish you off. That bad break, that disappointment, that sickness, it's not the end. God has the final say, and he's saying, "You're coming out with greater substance. You're coming out better off than you were before."
I read about a small fish called the Moses sole; it's a little flounder that's found over in the Red Sea. There are also sharks in those waters, and typically those sharks would eat this kind of fish. But in the 1970s, researchers discovered something interesting about the Moses sole. All the other fish in the same category, same size, same way, would be eaten by the sharks, but the sharks could not eat the Moses sole. It's because it has a unique defense system. When it senses any kind of danger, it naturally releases poisonous toxins from its glands. Those toxins literally caused the shark's jaws to freeze. They showed a picture of this Moses sole swimming inside the shark's mouth. All the shark had to do was bite down, and there was dinner. The only problem was the shark couldn't do it. God put something on this little fish to protect it. As long as the shark was there, it couldn't close its mouth. It had to go away for a few seconds before its jaws would be released. In the same way, as a child of the Most High, God has put something on you where you cannot be defeated. At times, it may look like those jaws are going to close down. The medical report isn't good, business is going down, the odds are against you, but Isaiah said, "No weapon formed against you will ever prosper." It may form, it may look impossible, but the good news is God will stop it. It's not going to prosper.
That's what David said: "My enemies cannot finish me off." Stay in peace. God's got your back. He's fighting your battles. He's done it in the past, and He'll do it again in the future. The three Hebrew teenagers, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, refused to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar's golden idol. He was furious. He was going to have them thrown into a fiery furnace. I'm sure they prayed, "God, please keep us out of the fire. God, this is dangerous. We could be killed in there." They wanted God to do it one way, but God chose to do it another way. Sometimes God will deliver you from the fire; other times, God will make you fireproof and take you through the fire. Those teenagers had their hands and feet bound with cords. They were thrown into the furnace. It looked like it was over, looked like they were done, but God never lets you get into something that He can't bring you out of. The only thing that fire burned off were the cords that were holding them back. The king came to check on them, looked through the window in the furnace, couldn't believe it. He asked the guards, "Didn't we throw three men in here, bound? I see four men, loose, and one looks like the Son of the Living God."
King Nebuchadnezzar said, "Hey, guys, from this day forward, we're all going to worship the god of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego." Friends, your enemies cannot finish you off. They don't have the final say. God does. You may feel like you're in the fire right now. You don't see a way out. Stay encouraged. Where you are is not permanent; it's temporary. You're coming out not the same but better, with great abundance. When you come out, all of your family, friends, and enemies will know the favor of God is on your life. You're going to be a living testimony of God's goodness. Now, remember, the end of the difficulty has already been set. The end of the trouble, the lack, the addiction, the final date has already been established. The good news is it could happen this week. Get up every morning thanking God that it's on the way. If you'll do this, I believe and declare you're coming out of sickness, you're coming out of depression, you're coming out of addictions, you're coming out of lack and struggle. The tide of the battle is turning. You might as well start planning your coming out party. Like the Israelites, God is going to bring you out with great abundance, great joy, great peace. Great victories are in your future. In Jesus' name, if you receive it, can you say Amen?
Today, we never like to close our broadcast without giving 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." Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in a good Bible-based church. Keep God first place. He's going to take you places that you've never dreamed of.
From New York Times bestselling authors Joel and Victoria Osteen comes their new devotional, "Wake Up to Hope." We're excited about our new devotional called "Wake Up to Hope." It's a great way to start the new day. You'll be inspired and encouraged to be your best each day. Start each morning setting your mind in the right direction with this new devotional, "Wake Up to Hope," now available at JoelOsteen.com.
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Every one of us has seeds of greatness on the inside. You have a gift to share with this world. There is buried treasure down in you right now, potential that has not yet been released. But so often, we let other people talk us out of our dreams. We let disappointments and failures keep our treasure buried. We allow insecurities and low self-esteem to convince us that we don't have anything special to offer. We're just an average, ordinary person. But no, God did not make average people. He did not create any of us as ordinary. No matter what someone has told you, no matter how they tried to make you feel, listen to what God is saying: There is treasure on your inside. You have something to offer that no one else has. And if you don't step into your destiny and release your gift, then this world will not be as bright as it should be. Understand, no one can take your place. You are unique. When God created you, He threw away the mold. Don't make the mistake of comparing yourself with someone else. If God wanted you to have their gift, He would have given you their gift. If He wanted you to look like them and have their personality, He would have created you that way. You don't need what they have to fulfill your destiny. You have what you need. It's already on the inside. When God created you, He matched you with your world. He decided what your purpose would be. He gave you an assignment, and then He put in you the gifts, the talents, the looks, the creativity, the personality. He equipped you with exactly what you need. That means if you needed to be taller, God would have made you taller. If you needed to be another nationality, God would have made you another nationality. If you needed a different personality, God would have created you that way. Quit despising what you have. Quit complaining about what you don’t have. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. God has created you exactly the way He wants you to be.
Think about it: with a car, you can purchase a car that’s totally stripped down, just the basics—no AC, no power windows, no radio, just a standard car. But know this, when God made you, He ordered all the options. You are not a base model. You are fully loaded and totally equipped. When God created you, He said, “I want the deluxe package. I want the chrome wheels. I want the sunroof. I want the navigation. I want the stereo with surround sound. And oh yeah, don’t forget my pinstripes.”
Some of you got a sedan, some of you got a compact, some of you got a truck, some of you got a lowrider, and even if you got a station wagon, like my brother Paul, whatever God has given you, you are fully loaded and totally equipped. I realize I may not have what someone else has. They may be a Ferrari, and I’m a Ford, but I’m not the least bit worried. I know I have what I need to fulfill my purpose. When we try to be something that we’re not, that’s when life gets frustrating. I’ve learned it’s easy to be me. I don’t have to perform. I don’t have to manipulate things. I can just relax and be myself. Do you know I can be a better me than anybody else in the whole world?
Why I'm anointed to be me, and you are anointed to be you. Nobody can beat you at being you. Quit worrying about what you don't have and just be the best you that you can possibly be. I remember when I first started ministering, I was very intimidated and unsure of myself. I would hear these other ministers who were so dynamic, many of them could not only speak exceptionally well but they could even sing incredibly well at the end of their sermons. They just burst out into songs, and it was so effective, it almost gives you chills. I used to think, "God, why can't I sing like that? Why don't I have their gift?" But one day, I realized God has given me what I need. If they have it and I don't, it must mean that I don't need it. And yes, they may be able to sing exceptionally well, but I know this: they're not nearly as good-looking as I am.
Friends, you are fully loaded and totally equipped. Don't you dare go around thinking, "Oh, I don't have what it takes." No, you go around saying, "I'm anointed, I'm empowered, I am talented, I am creative, I am a fully loaded person."
I heard about this young lady many years ago. She went to the theater and heard a girl singing so beautifully, and she complained to her friends, "If I could just sing like that, then I'd be successful." She went to the movies and saw an actress giving an award-winning performance. She thought to herself, "If I could just act like that, then I'd be successful." But one day, someone told her what I'm telling you. Instead of looking at others, complaining about what she didn't have, she looked inside and discovered what she did have. She remembered how all through school, she was constantly making people laugh. She was naturally funny, she had this gift for humor. She went on to develop that gift, and today, Phyllis Diller has become extremely successful. What's interesting is she doesn't have the beautiful looks like the movie actress she saw. She doesn't have the incredible voice like the young lady she heard that was singing. In fact, her voice is very scratchy, very gruff. But when God created you, He didn't make any mistakes.
Instead of looking at others, thinking about what you don't have, why don't you look inside and you'll discover what you do have? The fingerprints of God are all over you. Before you were born, God knew you. He has planned out all your days for good. Don't let your potential lie dormant. Tap into that buried treasure. Share your gift with the world. You have more in you. There is talent you've not yet discovered. You may have had some great victories in your past, but that is nothing compared to what God has in your future.
If you will see yourself as a fully loaded person, totally equipped, then as you stretch your faith, God is going to show up and show out in amazing ways. Now, I know tonight, I am not looking at average people. I'm not looking at anyone ordinary. I'm looking at fully loaded people, victors and not victims. And I'm declaring the treasure that's been buried is going to come out. I'm calling forth the dreams, the gifts, the talents, the businesses, the ideas, the inventions, the books, the songs, the movies. I'm calling forth that untapped potential. I believe that you're going to step into a new season. You're going to have the confidence to do things that you wouldn't do before. You're going to feel a supernatural stream. Supernatural doors are going to open up for you. Supernatural opportunities are coming your way.
Don't shrink back. Don't be intimidated. The creator of the universe has not only equipped and empowered you, but He's breathing in your direction. He's breathing creativity, confidence, ideas, restoration. God is saying to you what He said to Joshua: "Be strong and of good courage, for the Lord your God is with you." And some of you have been told a thousand times what you can't do, but I'm here to tell you what you can do. You can overcome every obstacle. You can prosper in spite of the economy. You can be healthy and whole once again. You can recover from a fall. You can become all that God's created you to be. You are a can-do person, fully loaded, totally equipped.
But if you don't understand who you are, then you'll never have the confidence to get out of your comfort zone and take steps of faith. This is imperative to fulfilling your destiny. I've learned when I make a move, God will make a move. When I get out of my comfort zone and stretch my faith, then God will release more of His favor. When I think bigger, God will act bigger. When I believe that I can rise higher, now put my shoulders back, hold my head up high, and I walk like I'm the child of the Most High God, that's when God shows up and shows out in unusual ways.
One time in the scripture, when Lazarus had died, Jesus said to the disciples, "Roll away the stone, and I'll raise Lazarus." It's interesting, Jesus could have rolled away the stone Himself. Here He was about to raise a dead man, but it was a principle: God expects us to do what we can, and then He will do what we can't. If you will do the natural, God will do the supernatural. If you will do the ordinary, God will do the extraordinary. But God will not do for you what you can do for yourself.
When you say, "I'll never get promoted. I never get any good breaks," let me ask you, are you rolling away the stone? Do you get to work on time each day? Are you giving it your best? Are you productive? Do you have a good attitude? If you will do what you can, God will do what you cannot.
Maybe you're single and have a desire to get married. You cannot sit at home every night watching television, praying that Miss America is going to come knocking on your door. You need to get out and meet some new friends, go to the mall, get some new clothes, dress good, look good. You are a fully loaded person; you have a lot to offer. When somebody gets you, they're getting a prize. You are extremely valuable. You have the fingerprints of God all over you. You've got to see yourself the right way.
Well, you say, "Joel, I'm kind of shy. I'm kind of reserved." So am I, but I'm standing in front of thousands of people. Do you know how much nerve it took me to even call Victoria and ask her out on our first date? It took me two weeks to get my courage up. I finally convinced myself that I am a fully loaded person. She would be absolutely crazy to say no to me. I called her, she said yes, and I nearly passed out. After 22 years of marriage, I can tell you that Victoria is fully loaded and totally equipped. She's one of a kind. What am I saying? You make a move and God will make a move. You do the natural and God will do the supernatural. Some of you tonight, you're stuck in your comfort zone. You're a fully loaded person using about ten percent of what God has given you. I want to stir you out of complacency. If you're not uncomfortable every once in a while, then you're not really using your faith.
Faith is all about stretching. That obstacle, that challenge, that opportunity, it may look intimidating, but God would not have presented you with it if He didn't already know that you have what it takes to stretch. I would rather try and fail every once in a while than have to come to the end of my life and wonder what would have happened if I'd have taken that risk. A lot of people are living in the safe zone, but I want to get you over into the faith zone. That's where you see God do amazing things. One time in the scripture, a city was about to be destroyed. The angel told Lot to go to a certain place, but Lot wasn't moving fast enough, so the angel said, "Hurry, Lot. I can't do anything until you get there." I believe God is saying that to each one of us. "I can't move in your life like I want to. I can't release my favor in a greater way until you get where you're supposed to be." It may not even be somewhere physically, but in our thoughts, in our mind. We cannot go around with low self-esteem, thinking that we don't have what it takes. No, we have to think like we're fully loaded. Think like you're totally equipped. We can't have the attitude that my business will probably never make it in this economy, or I lost so much in the stock market, I'll probably never recover. You all, I got laid off. I don't think I'll ever get another job. No, you are a fully loaded person. That means when one door closes, God's going to open up another door. That setback is not a surprise to God. He had the solution before you even had the problem. He has already armed you with strength for every battle. You need to pack up and move over into faith. God is saying to you what He said to Lot, "Hurry up and get there so I can show you my favor in a greater way." I heard a story about a five-year-old boy. He loved the piano. Anytime that he got a chance, he would sit down and pedal around. He'd never had lessons or any kind of formal training. He was often told that he was too small, too young to play the piano, but in spite of those comments, he continued to practice and practice. The only song he knew how to play was "Chopsticks," just a very simple tune, but he played it again and again.
One day, his father surprised him. He got tickets for them to go to the symphony and hear this world-renowned Italian. This man was one of the greatest piano players that had ever lived. As they were walking to their seats there in the auditorium, the little boy saw the beautiful grand piano behind the curtain. While no one noticed, he snuck over and sat down on the piano bench and began to play his elementary version of "Chopsticks." About that time, the curtain began to rise. Everyone was thinking they were going to see this world-famous master pianist. Instead, they saw a little boy hunched over the piano playing "Chopsticks." He was so caught up in his world he didn't know anybody was watching. When he realized what was happening, he was petrified. And just as he was about to get up and run for his life, he felt two big arms reaching around him, with the hands landing on the piano keys. It was the master pianist. He whispered in the little boy's ear, "Keep playing." As the little boy continued to play his simple rendition of "Chopsticks," this world-renowned pianist began to play a Beethoven symphony piece that was scored in the same cadence and the same key. Under the direction of the master, he brought the rest of the orchestra in. First, he broadened the woodwinds, then the brass, then the percussionists. The boy's father sat there with tears coming down his cheeks. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He never dreamed that simple tune that he heard in his living room each day would no longer sound like "Chopsticks," but now it would become a full, beautifully orchestrated Beethoven symphony. What was the difference? The master stepped in. Sometimes in life, you may not feel like you have the talent, the wisdom, the know-how. The good news is, God does. When you use what you have, the master will step in. He'll put his hands on top of your hands. He'll take what you think is very average—average gifts, average talent, average ability—but when the master steps in, he'll put his super with your natural, and supernatural things will begin to happen. Like that little boy, you'll be amazed. You'll think, "I know what I normally sound like. I know what I'm capable of. How did I end up like this?" Here's how: the master stepped in. I remember when I first started ministering, 10 years ago, my first few sermons were so basic and so elementary. Like this little boy, I'm sure they sounded about like "Chopsticks." And don't you say, "Amen." I had never really ministered before, but I was doing the best that I could, using what God had given me.
The negative thoughts bombarded my mind, saying, "Joel, you don't have what it takes. You're not a minister. You're too shy. You're too quiet. You better stay in your safe zone." I had to keep shaking those thoughts off and remind myself that I am a fully loaded person. I'm anointed. I'm equipped. I'm talented. I can do all things through Christ. What happened? The master stepped in. God put his hands on my hands. He put his voice in my voice. I discovered talent in me that I didn't even know I had. If you'd have told me ten years ago that one day I'd be ministering in Yankee Stadium, I would have said, "Yeah right, and you can land an airplane safely in the Hudson River."
When the master stepped in, supernatural things are going to happen. Some of you think that you could never accomplish your dreams. You think you don't have the talent, the resources, the connections. You may not, but know this: God does. And as you take steps towards your destiny, God is going to show up. You have to put a demand on your faith. If you play it safe all the time, you'll never really know what's on the inside. And I believe in the coming days, as you stretch your faith, you're going to see the master step in. You're going to have the courage to do things that you wouldn't do before. You're going to discover an ability that you didn't even know was in you. God is going to take your natural and mix His super with it, and instead of just playing "Chopsticks" like the little boy, God is going to bring in the percussion. That means you're going to get supernatural breaks. Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, God's going to bring in the brass—that is, the right people. Then the woodwinds—that's the right opportunity. Before long, you're going to be hitting on all cylinders. It's going to sound like a beautiful orchestra. That very treasure is going to come out, and you're going to know, like I know, this is not just my talent, this is not just my ability; this is the master joining in. This is God taking my ordinary and making it extraordinary.
I read a story about a police officer. She patrolled a very rough area of town. She always had a desire to help children learn how to read. In fact, she was the oldest of 12 children; she was the one that taught all of her brothers and sisters how to read. When she would get called to these troubled homes, so often she would notice how there were never any children's books—nothing for the kids to read—and this just broke her heart. She wanted to do something about it, but what could she do? She had limited resources. But instead of giving up and thinking it would never happen, she just kept hoping, kept praying, kept believing. One night, she answered a false alarm at this huge warehouse. When she flipped the lights on, she saw thousands of children's books just waiting to be destroyed. They were brand new but they had a little imperfection; they were going to be discarded. She said, "When I saw those books, I knew they were mine." She asked the owner right then and there if she could have them. He said, "Fine, they're all yours." That night, dropped into her hands were over 10,000 brand-new children's books. One Saturday afternoon, she and the other officers went through the low-income neighborhoods and passed out every single book. Now, when she patrols her area, she constantly sees kids sitting on the sidewalk, sitting on the front porch, reading these children's books. What happened? The master stepped in. God made a way where it looked like there was no way.
The scripture says that no good thing will God withhold when you walk uprightly. That means as you live a life of excellence and integrity, a life that's pleasing to the Lord, God is going to bring your dreams to pass. He's going to cause you to be at the right place at the right time. You're going to find yourself even stumbling into God's blessings. Dare to dream big, think big, believe big. You are a fully loaded person. You are totally equipped. Like this lady, you may not have the resources right now, but that's okay. God does. And as you take steps towards your divine destiny, God is going to release more of His favor. Don't be surprised when things fall into place. That's not a lucky break; that's not a coincidence; that's the master stepping in. Don't be surprised when you have wisdom beyond your years, when you get breaks you didn't deserve, when you accomplish more than you thought possible. That's God putting His hand on your hands. That's the master breathing in your direction.
We have a friend that told a story about her mother-in-law. As a little girl, this mother-in-law always had a desire to sing. Her dream was to one day become an opera singer. She was extremely talented. All through junior high and high school, she was the one chosen to play the lead in the class plays. But when it came time for college, her parents said, "You'll never make a living as an opera singer. That's not a good idea. You need to get a normal degree." They kind of talked her out of what she felt in her heart. She went on and got her degree and lived a happy and a blessed life. When she was 90 years old, she was living in a senior citizens home. Her husband had gone to be with the Lord, and her mind was not as sharp as it should be. She suffered a little from dementia. But what's interesting is every day in the senior's home, she would stand in front of all the people and sing the most beautiful opera you could ever imagine. She sounded like an angel. In fact, people came from all over just to hear this 90-year-old woman sing. What was that? She had buried treasure on the inside. Her gift had been pushed down for nearly 90 years, but it was still alive, just waiting to be released.
My challenge to you is, don't die with the music still in you. Share your gift with this world. You can go further than you think. You can accomplish more than you've accomplished. No matter what you've gone through, no matter how long it's been, your seeds of greatness are still alive and well. You can still become everything that God has created you to be. My prayer for each one of you is that before you leave this earth, all of your potential will be released. Not one dream, not one gift, not one promise, not one God-given desire will go left unfulfilled. I'm calling back those seeds that you've let go of, those family members you've given up on, those dreams you pushed aside. I'm calling them back tonight. Some of you, you don't realize it, but you can't die yet. You've got too much left in you. You've got too much potential. God is not going to let that go to waste. You might as well put up that rocking chair. It's not time to retire; it's time to re-fire. You need to get ready. God is going to give you new opportunities and more time to share your gift with the world.
I recently read about a 93-year-old woman that just graduated from college. If she can do it at 93, you and I can do it at 20, at 40, at 60, at 80. Get your fire back. The moment you quit planning for your future is the moment you quit living. The day you quit being excited about what God has in store is the day you went from living to just breathing. You need to have the right attitude, have the right vision for your life. You are a fully loaded person, totally equipped. And if you will learn to switch on your favor, refuse to die with the music still in you, here's what's going to happen: The master is going to step in. That means you're going to get breaks that you didn't deserve. You're going to overcome obstacles that look insurmountable. You're going to accomplish more than you ever thought possible. When you come to the end, you'll be able to say, "I finished my course. I've spent all my potential. I've released all my gifts. I've fulfilled my God-given destiny." Amen. Do you receive that tonight?
Joel Osteen (March 27, 2024) Daily Devotional:No Limits.
Today's Scripture: Yes, again and again they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. Psalm 78:41, NKJV
Today's Word: when God brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, He told them that they would make it into the Promised Land, but along the way through the wilderness they had delays, setbacks, and opposition. They got discouraged and started complaining. “What are we going to eat? How are we going to survive? The people in the land look like giants. We don’t have a chance.” The whole time, God was whispering, “I’m in control. I have provision for every season. I’ll defeat those enemies for you.” But they let the doubt and what they saw talk them out of what God promised. They limited God, and that generation never went in.
What we do in the face of doubt and negative voices telling us God’s promises are not going to work out will determine whether we see the fullness of our destiny. God allows us to be in situations and puts things in our spirit that are too big for us to work out on our own. Let what God says override the doubt, and believe that it’s still going to happen.
Prayer for Today: “Father, thank You that You are the Holy One of Israel, and You are not limited by what limits me. Help me to remember that You can do the impossible when I’m tempted to doubt and listen to negative voices. I believe that what You say is still going to happen. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
Joel Osteen (March-27-2024) Daily Devotional: You’re on the Way - Today's Inspiration Word.
Today's Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:10, NKJV - But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain.
Today's Word: Too many people go through life with this nagging feeling that something’s wrong inside. Someone has said, “I’ve discovered the enemy. It was me.” Are you your enemy? Are you defeating yourself, limiting your dream, sabotaging your relationships—all because you don’t like yourself? You have enough people and circumstances against you, so don’t be against yourself. Don’t think of everything you don’t like about yourself or relive your mistakes. “I’ve done so many wrong things. I am so undisciplined. I got angry yesterday.” Instead of focusing on what’s wrong with you, start focusing on what’s right with you. You have weaknesses, you’ve made mistakes—we all have—but there’s a lot more right with you than there is wrong.
Quit beating yourself up for past mistakes, quit dwelling on your flaws, overanalyzing your weaknesses. You’re not a finished product. God is still working on you. By His grace, He’s changing you from glory to glory. Have the attitude: “I’m okay with where I am while I’m on the way to where God is taking me.”
Prayer for Today: Father, thank You that my life is in Your hands—not just my strengths and gifts, but my weaknesses and shortcomings. Thank You for the promise that You are changing me from glory to glory. I declare that by Your grace I am what I am today, and I’m on the way to where You’re taking me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Joel Osteen - Sermon: Shining Brightly. What would others learn about God by simply observing your life? To many, you may be the only “Bible” someone reads. Let this eye-opening message remind you of what 2 Corinthians 5:20 says about us, that “we are Christ’s personal representatives.” Learn practical tools on how to go out each day and represent God in a great way! Grow in your witness as you grow in your joy, love and purpose! Let your life be your message as you shine brightly each day wherever you go. I want to talk to you today about shining brightly. How you live your life is sending a message to those around you. More than your words, more than what you say, people are watching how you live, how you respond to adversity, how you treat others, how consistent you are. When you go out each day with a smile on your face, you're kind, you're in a good mood, you're always doing things for others, that's one of the best witnesses you can have. Our actions speak much louder than our words.
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It's great to be with you today. We appreciate getting to spend this time together. I know that God had you in the palm of His hand. The scripture says that God rewards those that seek after Him; that's you, or you wouldn't be with us right now. So, know that God is pleased with you; He's smiling down on you right now. Here's the good news: your greatest victories are still in front of you. You wouldn't be alive unless God had something amazing in your future. I've learned that every day, you have to shake off the negative thoughts, shake off negative things people have said about you, and just keep moving forward, knowing this: the right people are in your future, the right breaks, the right opportunities. No person can keep you from your destiny. You keep going forward, and God will get you to where you're supposed to be. We love it; we're praying for you. I know that God has amazing things right in front of you. Thanks so much for praying for us and for your support of the ministry as well. That is right, and you know, when you listen to these messages, you are putting a powerful word on the inside of you. You are putting life-giving words in your path. So, I just want you to know that God does have great things in store for you. In fact, the scripture says that He holds victory in store for the upright.
So, today, I want you to know you're going to meet that victory. Like Joel said, you keep moving forward because God has got great things in your future. We want you to be inspired by this message and be blessed. We love you. Joel and Victoria would like to send you a copy of Joel's new series, Ask, Believe, and Receive, as a thank you for your support of our ministry this month. In this inspiring three-message series, Joel encourages you to ask big, even when you're praying for something that seems impossible. You can trust God completely and ask boldly. We're all believing for greater things, but it's easy to settle where you are. It's so important to ask God to fulfill your dreams, ask Him to meet your goals, ask Him to turn things around. When you ask big, it shows God that you believe He can do anything. I call it praying God-sized prayers. That's when you'll see the greatness of God's power. Request this resource; I know it will be a great help to you. To request your copy of Ask, Believe, and Receive, visit us at joelosteen.com or call 888-567-JOEL today.
Well, God bless you. It's always a joy to come into your homes. And if you're ever in our area, please stop by and be a part of one of our services. I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. Thanks so much for tuning in, and thank you again for coming out. I like to start with something funny, and I heard about this reporter that was visiting churches across the nation. While in the Northeast, he saw this golden telephone on the wall with the sign that said, "Calls $10,000 a minute." He asked the pastor what it meant. The pastor explained that was a direct line to heaven. If you were willing to pay the price, you could talk directly to God. He continued visiting different churches and saw the same golden phone, the same sign. Finally, he made it to Texas. He saw the phone, but the sign said, "Calls 25 cents a minute." Intrigued, he asked the pastor why it was so much cheaper. The pastor said, "You're in Texas now; it's a local call."
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'll 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 shining brightly. How you live your life is sending a message to those around you. More than your words, more than what you say, people are watching how you live, how you respond to adversity, how you treat others, how consistent you are. When you go out each day with a smile on your face, you're kind, you're in a good mood, you're always doing things for others, that's one of the best witnesses you can have. Our actions speak much louder than our words. I've heard it said, "Preach at all times. Use words only when necessary." Your life is your message.
The scripture tells us we have the power to be a witness. It doesn't say to witness, to preach a sermon, to straighten people out, to tell them what they're doing wrong. No, the real power is to be a witness. When people see you living a life of excellence and integrity day in and day out, you're happy, friendly, good-natured, that has a greater impact than anything we could ever say. We can quote scriptures all day long, come to church every time the doors are open, keep praise music on, but if you complain about the boss, get upset because of the traffic, play politics to get ahead, your example will override anything that you say.
Parents, we can tell our children to be kind, be respectful, but if they see us being disrespectful, not treating people right, it will go in one ear and out the other. The power is in what you do. Most people are not reading their Bibles; they're reading your life. They may never listen to a minister, they may never come to church, but they're watching how you live. We should have so much joy, so much peace, we should be so kind, so generous, so good-natured that people want what we have. That's what it means to be the light of the world. We come to church each week to get our batteries charged, to get filled back up, to be encouraged, to grow, to learn, but our real assignment begins when we leave this auditorium. There's already plenty of light in here. Most of us are believers; we have faith, we're expecting good things. Our light is not very effective around other light. It's like this little boy; his father bought him a new flashlight. He was outside on a bright sunny day, and he turned it on, shined it around, couldn't see anything. Said, "Dad, it doesn't work. Something's wrong." Dad said, "No, son, it's fine. It wasn't designed to work in the light. It was made to work in the darkness. That's when you'll see what it can really do." Too often, we complain about the darkness. "I don't like this job. These people are so negative. Nobody has a good attitude." Let me ask you, why do you think God put you there? They don't need more light in the bright places. That's an opportunity for you to shine. I've heard it said, "You can either be a thermometer and just measure the temperature, become like everyone else, or you can be a thermostat and change the temperature." When you hear people complaining about the company, don't join in. "Yeah, it's really bad around here." Be a thermostat. Turn it around. "Things may not be perfect, but I'm grateful that I have a job. I'm thankful that I can come to work each day." You are the light of the world. Don't add to the darkness. Turn your light on. It works best in the dark places. When you're around negative influences, gossiping, complaining people, playing politics, don't turn it off. Don't hide it. Realize that's what your light was designed for. Let it shine brightly.
The scripture talks about wives who have husbands that are not believers. It says, "Don't try to win them over with your speech. Your godly life will speak to them better than any words. They will be won over by watching how you live." In other words, you don't have to preach to people; you don't have to try to straighten them out. "Here, you need to have a better attitude; you need to have a new perspective." No, just be happy, be friendly, be a person of excellence. That's how you let your light shine: with your actions, not just with your words.
Everybody's discouraged, but you've got a spring in your step; you're in a good mood. Everybody's slacking off, but you're giving it your best. Everybody's upset at the company because they have to work late, but you're just the same: happy in the good times, happy in the tough times. That's letting your light shine brightly.
My father told how when he was a young man, at this one church where he went to minister, it was so dead. Nobody clapped, nobody sang, nobody responded. He thought, "God, what am I doing here? These people don't want to be in church; they certainly don't want to listen to me. It's dead." He heard God say, right down in here, "Son, why do you think I sent you there? They don't need more light where it's already bright. I sent you to stir them up, to be a thermostat, to ignite that spark, that flame that's on the inside." God will send us into dark places so we can make a difference, so our light will shine brightly.
Quit complaining about the family you married into. "God, these in-laws, these outlaws, this mother-in-law, God, they get on my nerves." You're not there by accident. God has you there on purpose. He's counting on you to brighten it up. Now, don't add to the darkness; don't make it worse. Be a light. Do the right thing even when the wrong thing's happening. Be respectful even when they're disrespectful. Keep a good attitude even when you feel like being sour. Stay on the high road. They need your light. Shine brightly.
"Well, Joel, I'm so dreading going to my family reunion this year. My relatives are so sarcastic; they make fun of me because I won't party with them. They give me a hard time because I go to church. I don't feel like putting up with it." Have a new perspective. That's an opportunity for you to shine. It's easy to shine around everybody that loves you, everybody that celebrates you, and thinks like you. The problem is, your light is not nearly as effective around those people because it's already so bright. The darker the situation, the brighter your light will shine.
You don't have to try to change their minds; you don't have to tell them everything they're doing wrong. All you've got to do is be happy. When they make fun of you, just laugh and let it bounce off. When they're sarcastic, just smile and move forward, no big deal. Don't let it affect you. People push buttons, expecting to get a certain response. "I'll say this, and they'll get upset. I'll leave them out, and they'll get their feelings hurt. I'll be disrespectful, and they'll argue. They'll be rude." Don't fall into that trap. Turn your buttons off. Let them push all they want; just keep being kind, keep being respectful, stay on the high road. Love never fails; light will always overcome darkness. It may not happen this year or even next year, but at some point, they will come to the place where they get tired of living negative, defeated, sarcastic, and they'll think, "You know what? I want what they have. I want that joy, that peace, that spirit of excellence." Your example, more than your words, will be what causes them to change.
Don't complain about that neighborhood you're in. "God, these neighbors, these people, they're involved in things they shouldn't be involved in. They curse; they're disrespectful; they don't take care of their property." That's why God has you there. It's dark; He's counting on you to turn on the light. Instead of complaining, pray, "God, help my light to shine with greater intensity. Help me to be a greater influence. Let your love, your kindness, your mercy be seen in everything that I do."
In the scripture, David worked for King Saul. Saul became jealous of David and tried to kill him. One day, David was playing the harp for Saul, trying to make him feel better. Saul threw a spear, barely missing David. He took off running for his life. Saul ended up chasing David through the wilderness, making his life miserable. What's interesting is David never complained about Saul. He never said, "God, why is this man trying to kill me? This is not right. I haven't done anything wrong." David just kept doing the right thing, letting his light shine brightly.
One night, while David was on the run, he saw Saul and his men asleep in the desert. This was David's big opportunity to put an end to it. He could have killed Saul easily, once and for all, been done with it, and nobody would have faulted him. But David wouldn't do it. He knew Saul had been anointed to be the king. He said, "God, I'm not going to touch your anointed. I'm going to let you fight my battles." When Saul woke up and realized what had happened, that David could have easily killed him, Saul said, "David, you're a better man than me." He was ashamed and went back home. This didn't happen because of David's words, because of something that he said, "Come on, Saul, I'm a good person. I'm not going to harm you. Leave me alone." No, David let his actions do the talking. He became a witness. People believe a sermon that they see more than a sermon that they hear.
Quit trying to pray away the darkness and just start being a brighter light. Do it consistently. People don't change overnight. Saul chased David for a long time, month after month, year after year. David stayed on the high road. God eventually vindicated him; he became the king. There may be people in your life that you have to let your light shine, year after year. You have to be willing to invest in them. Keep doing the right thing, even when it seems like it's not making a difference. Keep being respectful, even though they're giving you the cold shoulder. Your consistency, being a witness day in and day out, then just like Saul, that's going to cause one day that light to overtake the darkness.
Think about when Jesus was on the earth. He didn't spend all of his time in the temples, the synagogues, and the churches, in the safe places. He didn't only associate with people that believed in him, people that celebrated who he was. He went to the people that were not on the right track: the tax collectors, who were known for being dishonest; he went to the fishermen, who were rough and used bad language; he went to the people that had failed morally. He showed them mercy, was kind to them. He was called a friend of sinners. The religious people didn't like it; they criticized Jesus because they thought that he was associating with what they considered to be the wrong kind of people. They didn't understand this principle: that light is the most effective in dark places. Because Jesus let his light shine, many of those sinners became believers.
Sometimes, we think, "God, keep me away from anyone that's struggling with a bad habit, an addiction, an anger issue. God, don't make me have to deal with that person that's dishonest, not faithful in a relationship. Keep me away from the darkness." But Jesus showed just the opposite. He said it's the sick who need a doctor, not the healthy. God will bring people across your path that need your light. Don't have a holier-than-thou attitude, thinking, "I can't be contaminated. He uses bad language; she's kind of loose; he doesn't have integrity. I've got to keep my distance." Now, you've got the light. God's counting on you to make a difference. You don't have to become best friends with them. I'm not saying to spend all your time with them, but you can be kind. You can show them that you care. You can be a positive influence in their life.
That's what a minister friend of mine did. This young lady that cut his hair, she was a good person, but she had some issues. She was struggling with addictions and she'd been in and out of a bunch of relationships, and now she was living with another boyfriend. When he came in to get his hair cut, she was very uncomfortable because she knew there were some things in her life that were not right. Him being a minister, she was certain that he was going to judge her, give her a sermon, tell her everything that she was doing wrong. But he didn't do that. He was just kind, friendly, likable. When he left that first day, she was so relieved.
I found most people already know what they're doing wrong. You don't have to tell them, "You need to break this addiction. You need to get out of that toxic relationship. You need to start being more honest." You don't have to convict people of their sin. That's not your job. That's what the Holy Spirit does. Our job is to love people, to let our light shine, to be kind, to be friendly, to be good.
Today, my friend noticed that this young lady, the hairdresser, liked a certain kind of coffee. Before he'd come get his haircut, he'd always stop by and bring her that cup of coffee, just being kind. She had a son, a little boy. Every time around his birthday, Christmas, special holidays, he would pick up gift certificates to a toy store and give that to his mother. He was always encouraging this young lady, letting her know that he believed in her.
It was about two years later she asked where his church was located, the first sign that he was having any kind of effect. That next Sunday, she and her boyfriend showed up at church. She hadn't been to church since she was a little girl. That day, she felt a love like she had never felt. Their hearts were touched. Both she and her boyfriend gave their life to Christ. After the service, they said to the minister, "We've been living together for a long time. We need to set a better example for our son. We'd like to get married." Several months later, this minister performed their wedding ceremony. Today, that was years ago, they're still married, still happy, still in church.
Here's how Jesus put it: "Let your light shine before men, so they may see your good works." It doesn't say let your light shine before people that deserve it, people that have it all together, people that don't have any issues. No, let it shine before all people. How do you do it? By letting them see your good works. Can the people God's put in your life, not the ones that have it all together but the ones that are struggling, the ones that you could easily judge and write off and think, "Man, you need to get it together. You need to straighten up," can they see your good works?
Maybe the reason they don't have it together just yet is because they're waiting for your light, your love, your kindness, your mercy. When they see your good works, they'll begin to change. If my friend would have gone in there and preached to her, "You need to straighten up. God is not pleased. You need to make some changes," she wouldn't have received it. She would have become defensive, would have pushed her away, she would have found somebody else to cut his hair.
I've heard it said, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." When you take time to shine light in their life, give a smile, bring them a cup of coffee, give their child a gift, be kind, be helpful, they feel your love. That's what opens the door to their heart. Look around at who's in your life. Where is there some light that you can shine? Will you be a friend to sinners? Will you take off judgmental glasses and help love people back onto the right track? Will you be willing to overlook some flaws, not focus on what they're doing wrong, and instead show a little mercy, be a light in their life, a positive influence, a difference maker?
After all, if it had not been for the grace of God, that could be you and me. Somebody shone some light in your life. Somebody helped you get to where you are. Somebody overlooked some flaws. Somebody showed mercy. Why don't you pass on that same light that's been given to you? Now, I was in my 20s, I used to play basketball at this gym, and there were a lot of guys there that were very rough. They would curse and argue, and a lot of times fights would break out. It was very competitive and very intense. I didn't go in there and start telling everybody what they were doing wrong, plus they were a lot bigger than me. I didn't try to straighten everybody out. I just went in there being me, just living my life consistently happy, in a good mood, always kind to others. Over time, they started noticing that there was something different about me. I wouldn't argue, I didn't get upset, I was kind to everyone. It got to the point that if there was ever a questionable call, even if I wasn't in the game, if I was on the sidelines waiting to play next, just watching, they would always say, "Ask Joel, we know he won't lie." I never told them that my father was the pastor of a big church in town. I worked at a ministry. I just let my actions do the talking.
There was a young man there that had some addictions and some real anger issues. He was very explosive. He would lose his temper and get into fights. I had not talked to him that much over the years, just nothing more than "hello" and "how's it going." But one day, he came over in the locker room and asked if I would help him. I thought he wanted me to help him find a basketball or help him pull out the bleacher so we could sit down, but he looked at me and said, "Joel, I got all these angers. It's messing up my marriage, it's causing me problems at home, and you always seem to be so calm, so friendly, so good-natured. I thought maybe you could give me some advice." I was like 20 years old. I didn't know how to solve his anger problems, but I ended up inviting him to come to church. He came to Lakewood. Long story short, he gave his life to Christ. He got into some of the classes, overcame those addictions. Today, he's like a different person: calm, happy, respectful. I still see him here all the time.
Here's my point: I could have prayed, "God, get all these sinners out of the gym. God, they're arguing, they're fighting, they got addictions. God, deliver me from these people." I could have tried to pray away the darkness. But instead, I said, "God, this is where you have me right now. I know my steps are ordered by the Lord. You brought these people into my life. So, God, my prayer is that my light will shine with greater intensity. God, let me be a greater influence. Let them see something in me that they want." Year after year, I just kept being a witness, being kind, being respectful, being honest, being a person of excellence. One by one, those young men would come up, "Joel, would you pray for me? Can you give me some advice? Can I bring my family to your church?" Now, many of them are here.
When you become a friend of sinners, when you take time to shine light into the darkness, that's what has the greatest impact. The truth is, we all have a ministry. We all have a pulpit. It may not look like this one, but your life is sending out a message. Me, just living a life of kindness, respect, integrity, that spoke more to those young men than anything I could have ever said. I could have told them, "Straighten up, man. Break these addictions. Quit fighting." That would have had very little impact. Talk is cheap. People are watching how you live. What kind of example are you setting? Second Corinthians 5 says we are God's personal representatives on the earth. We have to realize, people can't see God; they see us. The question is, are we making God look good? Are we representing Him the right way? Do people want what we have, or are we pushing them away?
A few years ago, I was driving in my car with six small children with me, two of my own, plus nieces and nephews. They all wanted to go to McDonald's to get something to eat, so I pulled into the drive-through, and I was about to place my order at the little speaker. My nephew Christopher was about four years old, and he likes his hamburger with nothing on it, completely dry. So I told the lady, the young girl through the speaker there, that I wanted two kids' hamburgers with nothing but the bun and a piece of meat. She said, "Would you like pickles with that?" I said, "No, ma'am, I don't want anything on it." She said, "Okay, would you like mayonnaise?" I said, "No, I want it completely dry." She said, "Alright, would you like mustard?" I thought she was kidding. I kind of laughed. I said, "Ma'am, I just want the bun and a piece of meat." She said, "Okay, so you don't want the lettuce, do you?" This was my first order. I had five more to go. I had to remind myself, I am God's personal representative here on this earth. What would God do? How would He act? Would He get upset? Would He lose His cool, give her a piece of His mind? I was tempted to, but I stayed calm and ended up placing my order and finally pulled up there to the window to pay. The first thing the young girl said was, "Pastor Joel."
My first thought was, "Thank you, Jesus." You never know who's watching. Now, you say, "Joel, you know, you're on TV. I don't have to worry about that." No, don't kid yourself. Your children are watching, your neighbors, your coworkers. Every time you interact with someone, you're preaching a sermon. They may not remember what you say, but they'll remember how you made them feel. Did they feel loved? Do they feel respected? Be careful what kind of example you're setting. You're representing Almighty God.
Now, I was a little boy. My father took me and my brothers and sisters to see the Astros play baseball at the Astrodome. There were these two guys behind us that were very loud and obnoxious. They'd had too much to drink. When the Astros would do something wrong, they would stand up and curse the players, "You blankety-blank player, can't you hit the ball?" This went on for about an hour. Every time they did that, I would squirm in my seat because I knew eventually my father was going to say something. Daddy was very bold, very strong. Sure enough, the Astros made another mistake, and they stood up and cursed and cursed. My father turned around. I remember it like it was yesterday, with this big smile on his face, as friendly as can be. He said, "Listen, fellas, the name of the Lord is to be praised, not to be cursed." They looked at him kind of strange, shook their hand. A few minutes later, one of the Astros hit a home run. They both stood up, and by this time, they had way too much to drink. They lifted both hands in the air and shouted, "Hallelujah!" They slapped my dad on the back and said, "How's that, preacher?" The rest of the game, all we heard from them was "Praise the Lord," "Hallelujah," "Thank you, Jesus."
My point is, to represent God, you don't have to be mean. You don't have to jump down people's throats. My father used to say, "Don't be a firehose and try to knock people down. Just be a sprinkler. Just let your light shine. Be kind. Keep a smile on your face. Let people see your good works." Remember, your actions speak louder than your words. Your life is your message. When you're in those dark places, don't complain. Have a new perspective. That's an opportunity for your light to shine brightly. When you go out each day, represent God in a great way. Be a witness. Be a positive influence in people's lives. If you'll put this simple principle into action, shining brightly, you'll not only make a difference in other people's lives, but it'll make a difference in your own life. You'll have more favor, people will be drawn to you. I believe and declare you will fulfill your destiny and become everything God's created you to be. In Jesus' name, if you receive it, can you say amen today?
We never like to close our broadcast without giving 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."
If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in a good Bible-based church. Keep God first place. He's going to take you places that you've never dreamed of. Joel and Victoria would like to send you a copy of Joel's new series, "Ask, Believe, and Receive," as a thank you for your support of our ministry this month. In this inspiring three-message series, Joel encourages you to ask big, even when you're praying for something that seems impossible. You can trust God completely and dare to ask boldly. We're all believing for greater things, but it's easy to settle where you are. It's so important to ask God to fulfill your dreams, ask Him to meet your goals, ask Him to turn things around. When you ask big, it shows God that you believe He can do anything. I call it praying God-sized prayers. That's when you'll see the greatness of God's power. Request this resource. I know it will be a great help to you.
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Joel Osteen (March 26, 2024) Daily Devotional: Joy in the Journey.
Today's Scripture: You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. Psalm 4:7, ESV
Today's Word: too often we’re going to enjoy life when we accomplish a goal, when the kids are raised, when our spouse changes, when we get the promotion. Our joy is always in the future, when we cross another finish line, so we’re always rushing to the next thing. The problem is there’s always something that keeps us upset. The enemy would love to deceive us into enduring life but not enjoying life. Having children but not enjoying them. Being married but unhappy about our spouse’s flaws. Having a house, a job, and opportunities, but always having some reason we’re not happy.
The key is to find joy in the journey. You’re not there yet, you’re still waiting for things to improve, still believing for that promise, but in the meantime you’re enjoying where you are while you’re on the way to where you’re going. You can do that because the Scripture says that the joy of the Lord, the joy He puts in your heart, is your strength. Keep Him first place, and you’ll always have His joy.
Prayer for Today: “Father, thank You that You have a destination for my life as well as a journey to enjoy while I’m getting there. Thank You that You are my joy and that in Your presence is the fullness of joy. I declare that I will walk with You and enjoy the people and blessings You have given me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
Joel Osteen (March-26-2024) Daily Devotional: Unsheathe Your Sword - Today's Inspiration Word,
Today's Scripture: Hebrews 4:12, NKJV - For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.
Today's Word: What’s holding you back? Are there areas where you’re complacent? Are you just accepting a weakness, waiting on God to do something, when God is waiting on you? Don’t just sit around in weakness talking about how life is not fair and how you’ll probably always struggle. Talking defeat brings more defeat. Talking about the weakness will keep you weak. God has given you a sword that can break powers that are holding you back. Get the Word of God out. Start believing again, start expecting His favor, start declaring what He says about you.
The Scripture says, “Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’” You have a powerful sword that can unleash your dreams, unlock your potential, and thrust you to a new level. Take it out of its sheath and start swinging it: “I am blessed. I am healthy, redeemed, forgiven, and favored. I am more than a conqueror.” If you keep swinging your sword like that, you’ll see God do things that you couldn’t do. You’ll see favor, breakthroughs, and new levels of your destiny.
Prayer for Today: Father, thank You for Your Word that is living and powerful and for the precious promises that are working in my heart. Thank You that I can get my believing in line with what You say and then speak it out and thank You for what it will accomplish. I am going to unsheathe my sword and take new ground. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Joel Osteen Watch Sermon: Don't Lose Your Joy. Your joy is what’s going to help you keep believing and keep standing strong. When you hold to your joy, you’re showing God that you trust Him. You have to get your joy back, so you’ll have the strength to step into the new things God has for you.