Joel Osteen Podcast - Doing Business In Deep Waters | Joel Osteen

Episode Date: April 24, 2024

A great destiny means great opposition. The good news is, God is already fighting for you. When you focus on fulfilling your destiny and give the battles over to Him, He will get you to where you're supposed to be. Your best days are still ahead, and together we can make a difference in this world with the message of God's hope and love. To give visitJoelOsteen.com/GiveHope.Your words have the power to change your life. When youSpeak the Blessing,you wake up dreams and unleash divine favor. Our April offer will show you the keys to speaking faith-filled words that invite the transformation you are looking for. Request your copy today, https://bit.ly/3TSkDQU.  Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of the Joel Osteen Podcast ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

So great to have you with us today. And as we enter into this spring season, just let it be a time of new beginnings, letting go of the old, getting ready for the new things God's going to do. And just really believe you're going to come into a blooming and a blossoming season in Jesus' name. But God bless you and enjoy the podcast. 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. But thanks so much for tuning in, and thank you again for coming out today. And I like to start with something funny. And I heard about this lady that died. She was standing at the pearly gates. St. Peter said, you can't come in yet. You have to correctly spell a word.

She said, what word? He said any word. So she spelled the word love, L-O-V-E. He said, welcome to heaven. Then Peter asked her if she would take his place for a moment. He instructed her. if anybody should come up just to follow the same procedure. She agreed. In a few minutes, she sees her ex-husband walking up. She can't believe it. She says, what are you doing here?

He said, I just had a heart attack. Did I really make it to heaven? She said, not yet. You have to correctly spell a word. He said, what word? There was a long pause. And she said, Checkless,lovakia. Hold up your Bible. Say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am. I What 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 doing business in deep waters. If you're going to do anything great in life, there will be opposition, setbacks, delays. critics. And a lot of people get discouraged. Think, why is this happening to me? It's because you're taking new ground, because you're making progress. And the scripture says, they that go down to the sea to do business in deep waters, they will see the wonders of God. When you're in these deep waters, you're not praying, God, please, don't let me face anything big. No, you realize when you have

big dreams, you're going to have big challenges. If you were an average person, then you would have average problems. But here's the key. You're not average. You're not in the shallow waters. God put seeds of greatness in you. He's destined you to leave your mark on this generation. You cannot expect ordinary problems. You're a history maker. You're a world changer. Well, why are these people talking about me at work? Why? Why? Why are they trying to make me look bad? Listen, they don't talk about average people. They talk about extraordinary people.

Take it as a compliment. It goes with the territory. Every time I try to move forward, I face major challenges. It's because you're a major person and you have a major destiny. The enemy would leave you alone if you weren't a major threat. He wouldn't bother you if you didn't have something amazing in your future. Because you're an extraordinary person, you will face extraordinary challenges. The good news is we serve an extraordinary God.

He can get you to where you're supposed to be. When you're in the deep waters, you're not wasting your time trying to convince everyone to like you, went over all your critics, prove to your family members that you really are okay. Let me give you a news flash. Everybody is not going to like you. Everybody is not going to understand you. Your friends may not celebrate your success. Your relatives may find fault. Your coworkers may get jealous. Shake it off and run your race. You're doing business in deep waters. You don't have time to go over in the shallow waters for all that pettiness. You're a history maker. You cannot please every person and please God at the same time. You'll either have a few people upset with you, or you'll have God upset with you. I've learned if you'll please God, he'll take care of your critics. Well, Joel, they said something about me. I'm going to go

straighten them out. No, if that battle is not between you and your God-given destiny, it is simply a distraction. You're not supposed to engage in every battle. You only have so much emotional energy each day. If you're spending that energy thinking about how you can pay somebody back, call and a friend, can you believe what they said? You're not going to have the energy you

need for your own dreams. Don't fight battles that don't matter. You've got to be selective in how you spend your time. We all love our family, but some family members, you have to love them from a distance.

Some relatives, Once a year at the family reunion is good enough. Go give them a big hug. Tell them how much you love them. Ask God for forgiveness for lying later. But you can't spend all week with Uncle Charlie or he'll pull you into the shallow waters, get you off course.

You love Aunt Myrtle, but if you spend too much time with her, you're going to be negative, critical, fighting battles that don't matter. learn to love them from a distance. And you have to accept the fact that some people are never going to be for you. Treat them with respect, but you don't need their approval to fulfill your destiny. Don't get lured over into the shallow waters trying to prove to them who you are. The Apostle Paul had people that were trying to tell him, his dreams wouldn't come to pass, tell him what he couldn't do, what he didn't have.

He didn't try to straighten them out. He didn't try to win over all of his critics. He said in Romans 3, does their unbelief make the promise of God of no effect in my life? He was saying in effect, so what if they don't believe?

God didn't put the promise in them, he put the promise in me. That's the attitude we should have always respectfully. So what if they don't accept me? So what if they're talking about me, trying to discredit me? I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.

I'm not going to waste my time trying to prove to them who I am. No, I'm going to stay in the deep waters and do what God has called me to do. That's when you're going to see the wonders of God. When Billy Graham went to England for the first time over 50 years ago, the press was very negative. They said, we don't want your religion. We don't need another minister. One reporter said,

how can you even justify coming over here on a big ocean liner, a big ship when Jesus wrote a donkey everywhere he went. Billy Graham said, if you'll find me a donkey that can walk on water, I'll buy it in a minute. Stay in the deep waters.

There'll always be people trying to pull you into the shallow waters. Criticize, find fault, discredit, don't waste your time with that. Set your face like a flint and run your own race. 1 Samuel chapter 10, Saul was chosen to be the next king of Israel. Samuel called him up in front of all the people,

anointed his head, and said he's our next leader. Most of the people were happy for Saul and congratulated him. But when Saul got back home, some of his longtime friends didn't like Samuel's choice. They begin to laugh, make fun, ridicule. Saul's not going to be our king. Saul doesn't have what it takes. The truth is they were jealous of Saul. They were so insecure, so intimidated, they tried to push him down so that they would look bigger.

Remember this. When someone belittled you, they are being little. Small-minded people won't celebrate you. Small-minded people will be jealous, criticized, fine fault, gossip, try to make you look bad. Don't ever fight battles with small-minded people. Your destiny is too great to be distracted by someone this small. They're not going where God has taken you. In verse 27, it says, they despise Saul and refuse to give him gifts.

What did he do? But Saul ignored them. One translation says, he paid them no mind. My encouragement, pay no mind to jealous people. Pay no mind to people that don't celebrate you. Pay no mind to people that try to make you feel small. They don't control your destiny. God does.

They are distractions to try to lure you into the shallow waters to keep you from God's best. Your assignment is too important. Your time is too valuable to be distracted by negative, critical, jealous, small-minded people. If you listen to what they're saying about you, that poison will get on the inside and you'll start fighting a battle

that you were never supposed to fight. Isaiah 54 says no weapon formed against you will prosper. Every tongue raised in judgment you will show to be in the wrong. When you're in the deep waters, there will be some challenges, attacks, people talking.

There may be some tongues raised against you right now, but don't worry, it's not going to hold you back. Because you're honoring God, trusting him in the deep waters, God says you'll see his wonders. That means his protection, his vindication, his favor. When I first started ministering in 1999, this was all very new to me, spent 17 years behind the scenes, and suddenly I was thrust in front of a lot of people. I wasn't sure I could do this. And at one point, it felt overwhelming. Some people were talking.

He's not as good as his father. and I felt the pressure of learning how to minister. It seemed like on every side there was opposition and negative things happening. I said, God, I've taken this step of faith. I'm in the deep waters, sink or swim. God, here I am. You're going to have to help me. One night during that time, I had a dream.

It was so vivid. I remember it like it was yesterday. In this dream, I was running through a large open field. there were planes flying very low overhead, dropping bombs all around me. Just like out of a war movie. When bomb would hit 15 or 20 feet away from me, I would brace myself and wait for the shrapnel to hit me. I knew I was dead. I knew it was over.

The explosion was deafening. But for some reason, every time the shrapnel never would hit me. It's happened four or five times. And even in my dream, I was amazed that I was still alive. I ended up running to this little house, hiding inside, very afraid. I could hear the soldiers running by looking for them, and I was praying that they wouldn't check that house, hoping that they wouldn't come inside. Then my worst nightmare came true.

They came bursting in the door, had their guns drawn. I was standing right in front of them. I thought that's it. I'm dead. They found me. They looked at me for a couple of seconds and then turned around and walked out. It was like I had become invisible to them. I immediately woke up wide awake.

I could hear God saying down in here so strongly, Joel, things may be exploding all around you, but I've got you in the palm of my hand. You keep your trust in me, and no weapon formed against you will prosper. Now when things come against me, I remind myself that God has a hedge of, protection around us that the enemy cannot cross. Instead of complaining about how big the

obstacle is, how somebody's talking about you, will come back to that place of peace. If God be for you, who dare be against you? God said when the enemy comes against you one way, he would defeat them and cause them to flee seven different ways. You may be up against a big challenge today, but that tells me you have a big destiny. The size of your problem, is an indication of the size of your future. David had a big destiny. What did God do? Send him a big problem.

But without Goliath, David would still be known as a shepherd boy. That difficulty was not sent to defeat you. It was sent to promote you. The Israelites were being mistreated by their captors. The scripture says, the more they oppress them, the more the Israelites multiply. the more they tried to push them down, the higher God took them. That's the way God is.

If you'll stay in faith, God will make the enemy pay for bringing that trouble into your life. You'll not only come out, you'll come out stronger, increase, promoted, multiplied. The more people try to make you look bad, the better God will make you look. God said he would prepare a table before you in the presence of your enemies. That means the ones that tried to push you down. Play politics, left you out, cheated you. God will make sure they see you promoted, elevated, increased in a position of honor. In the scripture, Haman tried to discredit Mordecai.

He lied about him and told the king how bad Mordecai was and how he should be removed on and on. Mordecai didn't try to get even, didn't try to straighten him out. He stayed in the deep waters, just kept honoring God being his best. In the end, the king had Haman put a royal robe on Mordecai, marching through the city streets saying, look how great Mordecai is. The more someone or something tries to push you down, don't worry, God's in control, the more you will be multiplied. Instead of being discouraged by opposition, you can be encouraged by it,

knowing on the other side of that difficulty is a new level of your destiny. The enemy always fights us the hardest when we are close to our victory. When you're tempted to get discouraged, sour, go back to the shallow waters, it's never going to work out, it's been too long. That's when you have to dig your heels in and say, I've come too far to stop now. My God is still on the throne, fighting my battles. I'm not only coming out, I'm coming out better off than I was. before. When I was in Africa, a safari guide told how when a gazelle or wildrebeast is pregnant

and very close to giving birth, a lion will stalk that animal. Day after day the lion will follow that pregnant mother around waiting for her to go into labor. When the mother goes into labor, the lion knows it's an easy target. They can't fight back. So the lion will attack and kill not the mother, but the baby as well. In the same way, when you are close to giving birth to your dreams, you will face your greatest attacks. The enemy waits till you're close to the breakthrough, close to the healing, close to the promotion. When you're about to step into a new level of your destiny, don't be surprised if you hit a setback. That's a sure sign you're about to give birth to what God has placed in your heart. The good news is the fourth. The fourth.

forces that are for you are greater than the forces that are against you. Your destiny cannot be stopped by bad breaks, by opposition, by people, nor by all the forces of darkness. God has the final say, when you stay in agreement with him, he will get you to where you're supposed to be. You may be up against that big challenge. That tells me you need to get ready. You're about to give birth. You're about to see a promise come to pass. You're about to see that child turn around. You're about to meet the person of your dreams. This is not the time to get discouraged and think, oh, it's taken so long.

No, now more than ever, you need to have the attitude. I am in it to win it. I am not going to let this bad break, this unfair situation, this disappointment, steal my dreams. I'm going to give birth to everything God's placed in my heart. I know some of you have had more than your share of unfair situations. Maybe you lost a loved one. Her relationship didn't work out. Perhaps a child has caused you a lot of heartache and pain. But know this. Nothing that you've been through has been wasted.

Every struggle, every wrong, every sleepless night has deposited something on the inside. It's made you stronger. It's helped develop your character. You are not defined by your past. you are prepared by your past. It has put you in position for the new thing God is about to do. Zachariah said, if you will be a prisoner of hope, God will restore double back to you. God wants to give you beauty for the ashes. You've got to do your part and get your hopes up, get your fire back,

start believing, start dreaming. That's not just being positive, that's releasing your faith. There was a lady in the Old Testament, an Israelite woman. She did just the opposite. She was about to give birth to a baby. She heard that the Ark of the Covenant had been stolen. This is where God lived back then. It was a big deal. And she was so distraught, so upset that when her baby was born, she named her son Iqabad. Iqabod means the glory has departed. Notice she named her future. based on what had happened in the past. She could have just as easily named him, the glory will return. She could have named him what Zachariah said, double the glory is coming.

But she was so caught up in what she'd been through, the disappointment, the heartache that it tainted her whole future. So often we do the same thing. We're focused on what we lost, how unfair it was, we don't think it's going to change. No, don't ever. name your future based on a negative past. In other words, I'm going around thinking, well, Joel,

didn't get any good breaks last year. I'm sure it's going to be the same struggle, loneliness, depression, sickness, people not treating me right. No, get that Iqabod spirit off of you. This is a new day. God is doing a new thing. The enemies you've seen in the past, you will see no more. God has shifted things in your favor. What's meant, meant for your harm, God is turning to your advantage. Here's what you should name your future, blessed, prosperous, victorious, healthy, strong, talented, well able. You may be in a difficult season. Your attitude should be, this is only temporary. I know it's just a matter of time before it turns around. It may seem like you're stuck. Could never rise any higher, but don't go around

speak in defeat? Well, I've reached my limits. I don't have the connections. I don't have the funds. No, name your future by saying God's face is smiling down on me. He's opening new doors of opportunity. He's putting me at the right place at the right time. My greatest victories are not behind me. They're still out in front of me. That's calling in favor, increase, blessing. When you think about your future, there should be an excitement, an excitement. expectancy, you're looking for God's goodness. Not dragging around thinking, oh, it's so hard. Why is it taken so long? No, all through the day, something good is going to happen to me. Blessings are chasing me down. Favor is in my future. This is what David did. He went through plenty of

bad breaks, disappointment, heartache, but he didn't name his future based on his past. He said, I am confident I will see the goodness of God in the land of the living. That's my prayer for you, that you will be confident that your best days are still up ahead, confident that God has shifted things in your favor, confident that your dreams will come to pass. Isaiah put it this way, arise and shine for the glory of the Lord is upon you. It doesn't say the glory is going to come on you one day. Maybe next year if business picks up. Maybe in the future if you get that good break.

No, it says the glory of the Lord is already on you. That word glory in the original language implies God's favor, God's splendor, and God's honor is heavy on you. There's an emphasis on heavy. Remember the old days, hippies used to say heavy, man, heavy. Let me tell you, because you're honoring God, you are heavy with favor. You are dripping with God's goodness. See, we're not supposed to be heavy with trials, heavy with difficulties,

weighted down with worry. No, the only thing that's supposed to be heavy on you is God's favor. When you get up in the morning, have the right perspective. You have an advantage. God has put something on you that causes you to stand out in the crowd. It causes opportunity, good breaks, healing the right people to track you down. You are not a lightweight. You are heavy with God's favor.

I talked to a lady in the lobby a couple of years ago. She asked me to sign her Bible. It's one of the Bibles that we give away to graduates. She looked to be in her early 50s, and I asked her if it was for her son or her daughter. She smiled and said, no, it's for me. I just graduated from college. She told how she was the first one in her family for as far back as she could see to ever graduate from college. There was a lot of mediocrity and dysfunction in her family. She always wanted to go, always had the desire. But any time she tried, something held her back. At the age of 40, it looked like it was too late. She had children to raise and couldn't get her. off work, didn't have the extra finances, all the odds were against her. Most people would have given up, thought, well, too bad. Not this lady. She kept believing, kept praying, knowing that she was heavy with God's favor. One day, her employer unexpectedly called her in and said, we heard you

want to go to college. We've decided that we will pay for your tuition. Plus, we will let you take off of work and go to class whenever you need to. That's heavy favor. It's one thing to have a free tuition, but she basically got paid to go to college. She not only got her bachelor's degree, she got her master's degree. Friends, this is your time. This is your moment. You are heavy with favor. The prophet Joel said, wake up the mighty men. Wake up the mighty men. Wake up the women, that's who I'm speaking to today. God has equipped you, empowered you, and anointed you. No weapon formed against you can prosper. Now pay no mind to the people that are trying to discourage you. God didn't put the promise in them. He put the promise in you. What God started in your life,

he will finish. You may be in a difficult season. Just keep on shining. Like the Israelites, the more difficult it is, the more God is going to multiply. you. You're not going to come out the same. You're going to come out increased, promoted, better than you were before. Last week, would have been my father's 92nd birthday. My dad went to be with the Lord in 1999 at the age of 77. I was reflecting back over the last 14 years and thinking about all the things God has done in my life. Never dreamed I would be here today. never thought I could minister, never imagined we would have the former compact center as our church. God has done more than I could even ask or think. I have seen his wonders.

But the truth is, I'm not the most talented, not the most dynamic, but one thing I'm good at is staying in the deep waters, not letting things bother me, not fighting battles that don't matter, not naming my future based on the past, believing that I'm heavy with favor, simple things. But when you honor God like that, he will make more out of your life than you ever imagined. I'm asking you to stay in the deep waters. Shake off the discouragement, shake off the offense, shake off little dreams. Believe that you're heavy with favor. Believe that your best days are still out in front of you. If you will stay in the deep waters, I'm a living testimony.

You will see the wonders of God. God will open doors that no man can shut. God will take you where you could not go on your own. He'll fight your battles. He'll make your wrongs right. I believe and declare you will overcome every obstacle, defeat every enemy, and become everything that 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. 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 out. When God created the world, he did it specifically with you in mind. He used his words. He spoke everything into existence. Light.

Oceans and dry land. Plants. Sun and stars. Animals. Man and woman. Your words have that same creative power. If you want to know what you're going to be like five years from now, listen to what you're saying about yourself.

You are prophesying your future. Too often we don't realize we're defeating ourselves with our words. I'll never get healthy. I'm not attractive. This dream's impossible. Instead of limiting your future, why don't you start blessing your future? If you'll change your words, you can change your world. I have a new book called Speak the Blessing.

It will help you to speak positive, faith-filled words. There are declarations in it that you can make over your family, your health, your finances, and your future. When you get your words aligned with what God says, you'll see his favor in greater ways. Azar, thank you for your gift of any amount to the ministry this month. We want to send you, speak the blessing. Send your words in the direction you want your life to go.

You can begin to enjoy a life filled with freedom, joy, health, success, and creativity as you discover the authority and power of speaking God's word. Yes, Speak the Blessing will unlock life-changing possibilities that are unlimited. When you declare what God says about you, I'm strong, I'm healthy, I'm favored, you are blessing your life. I hope you'll request your copy today. Remember, you can watch the services live online every Sunday, download our daily podcast, watch on YouTube, listen on SiriusXM. We'll keep you encouraged and inspired. Be sure to request your copy of Speak the Blessing today.

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