Joel Osteen Podcast - Have a Different Spirit | Joel Osteen

Episode Date: February 29, 2024

Too many people go around negative, thinking they'll never reach their dreams. But God put a different spirit inside of us. When you look for opportunities to be grateful and positive about life, God will take care of getting you where you need 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.You are not average, not ordinary. You Are a Masterpiece created in God’s image. Our February offer has extraordinary promises of God to give you mental, physical, and spiritual strength. Grow stronger each day seeing yourself the way God sees you!Request your copy now, https://bit.ly/490TjEF.   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.

We're believing you guys are going to have a great February and an awesome 2024. I love how you're putting God first place. He sees you taking the time. Thanks for being with us today. We believe this is going to be a great year. Thank you for always being a part of this podcast. Well, God bless you. It is always a joy to come into your homes. We love you and we just appreciate being able to spend this next few minutes with you. If you're ever in our area, please come out and be a part of one of our services. We like to have a a good time out here at Lakewood. And these are the finest people in all of Houston right here. So come out and be a part

of one of our services. But thanks for tuning in. I like to start with something funny. And I heard about this little girl. She was sitting on her grandfather's lap. She noticed how wrinkled his face was. And as she contemplated the difference between hers and his,

she asked, Granddaddy, did God make you? He said, yes, honey. He made me a long time ago. She then asked, well, did he make me? He said, sure, honey, God made you just a little while ago. She thought about it a moment and said, Granddaddy, God's getting better, isn't he? All right, hold up your Bible. 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 having a different spirit. Too many people go around negative and discouraged. They focus on their problems, what they can't do, and how they'll never accomplish their dreams.

And if we're not careful, we'll let that same spirit rub off on us. I've found it's easy to be a part of the majority. It's easy to just go with the flow and think. think we've made too many mistakes. Our problems are too big. The economy is too low. We never get any good breaks. That's the way everybody thinks, Joel. Yes, but here's the key. You're not everybody. You're a child of the most high God. He breathed his life into you. God has surrounded you with his favor. You were never created to be average. God put in you a different spirit. We're not supposed to be a part of the majority. We're supposed to be a part of the minority.

That means everybody around you may be complaining. They may be singing a sad song, but don't join in their party. When they complain about how bad life is treating them, your attitude is, I'm just grateful to be alive. I'm too blessed to be stressed. When they talk down about the company, just turn it around. I'm glad that I at least have this job. I'm grateful. that I'm healthy and strong enough to be at work today. See, anybody can complain. Anybody can find fault, but God wants us to have a different spirit. You have to look for the good, be grateful for what's right. You may work around people that are very negative, or perhaps you even live with someone like that, but you don't have to allow them to steal your joy.

I heard somebody say, don't be a thermometer that just measures the temperature, Be a thermostat that changes the temperature. In other words, when you go to work this week, people may be singing the blues, complaining about the boss, complaining about the economy, talking about how bad somebody's treating them. Don't join in and say, oh, you think you have it bad. Let me tell you about my problems.

My teenager won't straighten up. I think I'm going to have surgery on my back. My insurance has doubled. We didn't qualify for that new home. We really wanted. No, when you talk, Hawk defeat, you draw in defeat. Have a different spirit. You're not a thermometer. Don't let them influence you and draw out the worst. You're a thermostat. You've got the spirit of the living God

on the inside. Your attitude should be, yes, I may have some problems. Yes, it may be difficult, but I know this too shall pass. Yes, it's true. I may have to have surgery, but I know God's going to bring me out better off than I was before. No, we didn't qualify for that new, home, but I'm not discouraged, I know God has something better in store. That's a thermostat. You didn't let them pull you down. You pull them up. And I've discovered just as negativity is contagious, faith is contagious. Just like complaining, being discouraged and having a sour outlook is contagious. So is being hopeful, being positive, being faith-filled. Here's the key. The more they talk defeat, the more you need to talk victory. The more they complain, the more you need to

praise. The more sour they look, the more happy you need to look. Don't let them infect you. You can infect them. We know how in the natural, certain diseases are contagious. We can catch a cold from someone. We can catch the flu. Sometimes we'll get a shot that will vaccinate us and make it less likely for us to contract that disease. You may work around negative, sour people, but the best vaccine you can take is to get up every morning with a song of praise in your heart. Thank God for what he's done, and then go out with a smile on your face. Focus on what's right, not on what's wrong. Be excited about your future. What are you doing? You're taking a vaccination that will keep you from those negative toxic people,

keep you from being influenced by them. After all, we can't expect to live in a bubble and never have any kind of negative influences, but we can take our daily vaccination. When you know you're going to be in an extremely negative environment, you need to take more of that vaccine.

When you're going to that family reunion and you know what relatives are going to be there, you better take a double dose. Some of you, when you go to your mother-in-laws, you better take a triple dose. Not me. I've got a great mother-in-law, but how do you increase your dosage? Turn up your joy. Turn up your praise.

Turn up your expectancy. When they say, we never get any good breaks. We're just poor and defeated. Say, no, no, speak for yourself. I'm blessed. I'm prosperous. I've got the favor of God. Goodness and mercy are chasing me down. Well, we come from the wrong family.

We're the wrong nationality. We just live in the wrong. country. No, not me. I come from the right family. I'm a child of the most high God. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Who my parents are doesn't determine my destiny. God determines my destiny. Where I was born, how I was raised, the country I'm living in right now, none of that can keep me from becoming all God's created me to be. Well, Joel, I've got big dreams, but I just don't have the resources. I don't have the right connections. I don't know the right people. No, I don't know about you, but I've got friends in high places. The creator of the universe is my heavenly father. He's directing my

steps. He's breathing in my direction. He holds victory in my future. When you think like this and you talk like this, you are taking a vaccine. That way, when those negative comments and thoughts come, to try to steal your joy and steal your vision, sour your life, they will bounce off of you like water off of a duck's back. Why? You've got the shield of faith. You've got the sword of the spirit, God's word, coming out of your mouth. Now, I know today I'm not looking at thermometers. I'm not looking at people to get talked into being defeated,

dragging through life with no enthusiasm, letting every negative influence pull you down. No, I'm looking at people that have a different spirit. I'm looking at a bunch of thermostats. When you walk into the room, you change the atmosphere. When you get there, the whole place lightens up. You bring it up higher. Why is that?

Your joy rubs off on others. Your enthusiasm lifts the discouraged. Your grateful spirit silences the complainers. Your report of victory drowns out the report of defeat. I remember this gentleman. He was an older man that used to attend Lakewood. years and years ago. He was in his 80s when I was a teenager. He was always so happy, always had a smile. He was a very kind, soft-spoken man, very gentle. He loved to quote the

scripture. He had this English accent. Whenever I'd see him, he'd call me over in his warm, friendly way, and he would quote a passage of scripture. He knew no strangers. He was a friend to everyone. And one day, when he was in his early 90s, he was on an airplane to go visit some relatives in another state. And he sat next to this man that was very negative, extremely sour, very condescending. Everything this man said, the man had a negative rebuttal for. When he talked about how blessed he was, the man talked about how miserable his life was. When he talked about the family he loved and couldn't wait to see, the man talked about how he was divorced and even now estranged from his own children. When he talked about his health, how he was

still going strong in his 90s. The man told how he always felt tired and run down. You could not find two more opposite people. My friend, this older gentleman, he made up his mind. He was not going to let that negative complaining spirit infect him. And after they talked a little while, the man got his newspaper out and my friend got his Bible out and began reading it. When the man saw the Bible, he started making all of these very sarcastic comments. He told how he was an atheist. He didn't believe there was a God and thought the man was just wasting his time and on and on.

My friend didn't get upset. He didn't argue. He just stayed in peace, calm, cool, and collected. He told the man he was going to be praying for him. The man laughed even more sarcastically and said, Oh, don't waste your time. About an hour into the flight, the plane hit an unusual pocket of air, and it began to drop thousands and thousands of feet in a few seconds.

Anything that wasn't tied down shot up to the ceiling. Passengers, flight attendants, food, purses, it was all stuck to the ceiling. Well, my friend was wearing his seat belt, but the man next to him wasn't. And when he looked up, he saw this man stuck up on the ceiling. His eyes were like twice as big as normal. He looked scared to death. The first thing he shouted to my friend was pray, pray. My friend said, I didn't think you believed in God.

He said, I do now, just pray. It's funny, when he came down a few seconds later, his attitude had totally changed. He listened to every word my friend had to say. What am I saying? God has a way of getting people's attention. You may think nothing is happening. You're being your best each day. You don't complain. You always have a good report. But it looks like you're just wasting your time. The people around you, some of them are so sour, so hard to get along with. No, God is working on those people. That seed is taken root. Keep letting your light shine. Keep being a thermostat. And at the right time, God will make sure the temperature in the room comes. down. I remember one time I called this pizza place to order a pizza. I'd called this restaurant

dozens and dozens of times year after year. When you call, the first thing they always ask for is your telephone number. This young lady answered the phone and told the name of the restaurant. And I said to her very friendly, very politely, hello, my phone number is 713 and I gave her the rest of my number. When I did, you would have thought I'd just totally. insulted her. She practically screamed in my ear, in the most rude voice you can imagine, she said, sir, I am not ready for your phone number, and when I get ready, I will ask you for your phone number. I wanted to say, lady, I will give you my phone number whenever I feel like giving you my phone number. I will call you at midnight and give you my phone number if I

want to. But down in here, I didn't want to hear it, but I could hear that still small voice coming up saying, Joel, be a thermostat, not a thermometer. You may have walked into a room that's 200 degrees, but you have the controls. You can bring it down. I thought to myself, yeah, right? It'll take me six years with this lady. But I realized she didn't have anything against me. She's just having a bad day. Something was irritating her. So I decided I was going to do everything I could to cheer this old goat up. I mean, this young lady up. I started thinking of everything I could possibly compliment her on. And God knows I had to use my imagination. I said, ma'am, I just want to thank you for answering that phone so quickly and taking such good care of me. And you guys make the best pizzas in the

world. And your delivery is always on time. You run such a great organization. on and on I went, telling her all these lies. I mean encouraging her. You know, by the time I got finished, she was throwing in hot wings and Dr. Peppers and coupon for more pizza. I had won her over. What happened? I became a thermostat instead of a thermometer. The scripture says you overcome evil with good. I'm asking you today to have a different spirit. There are a lot of negative, critical, rude, short- tempered people. You don't have to let them infect you. You can infect them. Don't be a part of the majority live in the minority. One time in the scripture, Moses sent 12 men in to spy out the promised land.

The people of Israel were camp right next door and they were so excited about going in. But after 40 days, 10 of the men came back, the majority with a negative report. They said, Moses, the people are too big. There are giants in the land. We don't have a chance. We'll never defeat them. That negative report spread throughout the rest of the camp. The people began to murmur and complain. They got down and discouraged.

But one of the other spies was named Caleb. He came to Moses and said, Moses, we are well able to defeat these people. Let us go up at once and take the land. We can do it. His report was exactly opposite. Isn't it interesting? Both sides saw the same land, the same people, the same circumstances, yet they had totally different views. How could their reports be so unalike? Here's how. Caleb had a

different spirit. He saw things through a different perspective. They were focused on their giants. Caleb was focused on his God. He did his best to cheer the people up. He told them we're well able, let's go now. But they just wouldn't. listen. God was so put out with those two million people, he said because they didn't believe, because they chose to live negative and sour, none of them would make it into the promised land. But in Numbers 1424, God said, my servant Caleb is different. Because he has another spirit, I will bring him into the promised land and his descendants will receive their full share. in the land. Notice it says he had a different spirit. What does that mean? He wasn't like the majority.

Everybody else was complaining, yet he had a good report. They were all shrinking back in fear. He was moving forward in faith. They were talking defeat. He was talking victory. God calls that a different spirit. That's what I want God to say about you and I. Those people at Lakewood, those people that are watching, they have a different spirit. Everybody else is talking about how bad the economy is, but you and I are talking about how great our God is. Other people are complaining, down and discouraged, overwhelmed by their problems, but you and I are at peace.

We're full of joy. We've got a spring in our step. We know God is in complete control. The giants may look big, but we have a different perspective. we know our God is bigger. It may look impossible, but we know like Caleb, we are well able.

When you have this kind of attitude, God will say about you what he said about Caleb. Look at my son Bob down there. Business is slow. He should be discouraged. He should be complaining, but he's got a smile on his face.

He's not moved by the circumstances. He's got a different spirit. I'm going to take him into his promised land. Or look at my daughter Maria. She's got big dreams. It looks impossible. It's taken a long time, but she's not worried. She doesn't have a chip on her shoulder.

She's hoping, believe, and expecting. She's in faith. She's got this different spirit. I'm going to take her into her promised land. I love what happens when we have a different spirit. God promises here that you will not only be blessed. you will not only accomplish your dreams, but your children, your descendants will receive their full share in the land. That means because you're a believer and not a doubter, because you see the possibility

and not just the problem, because you choose to be a thermostat and not a thermometer, God says you and your children will see his blessings, his favor, his increase in ways like you've never even dreamed of. Think about David. How could he possibly defeat a giant nearly twice his size? He had a different spirit. Everyone else was afraid. They were focused on the size of the giants. David was focused on the size of his God. And when he told them that he was going to go in and face Goliath, they tried to talk him out of it. They told him all the reasons why it wouldn't work out. And it's funny, sometimes when you need encouragement the most, your friends and family members will give it to you the least. They'll tell you all the reasons why you can't do it, why you're going to fail, why you just better play it safe.

You've got to do like David and just shake that off. They said, in effect, David, you better not get out there. You better be careful. You're going to get hurt. Goliath is too big to hit. David said, no, no, he's too big to miss. David had a different spirit. He looked at Goliath, and just like Caleb,

he made a statement of faith. He didn't say, I don't know, he is pretty big. I don't have much training. I don't have any experience. I hope this works out. No, he said, Goliath, this day I will defeat you and feed your head to the birds of the air. The reason David and Caleb could have this unshakable confidence

was because they knew who's the world. they were. They knew they were children of the most high God, anointed, equipped, empowered. And when you really understand who you are and what you have on the inside, you won't go through life complaining, talking about how bad life is, discouraged by your coworkers, talked out of your dreams by your family members, upset because nobody's backing you up. No, you'll be like Caleb, you'll have your shoulders back. You'll have

your head held high. You'll have a small. You'll have a smile on your face. There may be some giants in your path, but your attitude will be, I am well able. I will overcome this sickness. I will break this addiction. I will get out of debt. I will fulfill my God-given destiny. What is that? A different spirit. There's a young lady in our church by the name of Vanessa. She's a medical doctor. About 15 years ago, she began to experience incredible pain in her joints all through her arms, her shoulders, her knees. It got so bad she could hardly stand it. She finally had to have surgery on her knees and, of course, she was hoping it would get better, but it continued to get worse. She was so crippled she had to walk with a cane.

She said she looked like a 90-year-old woman. What's interesting is her father had the same disease in his early 20s. He died from complications of it at 43. Her grandmother was a paraplegic. She had the same problem. It looked like this was Vanessa's destiny. When she would come to church at the old facility, it would take her 45 minutes to walk from the parking lot to her seat in the auditorium. She'd have taken her three or four minutes. During the week, she would get up at three o'clock in the morning to start loosening up her joints and getting dressed so she could be to work at eight. she could have easily sat back and thought too bad for me. I'll never get well. The giants are too big.

But not Vanessa. She had a different spirit. She dug her heels in and said like David, this thing is not going to defeat me. I'm going to become everything God's created me to be. I will live and not die and declare the works of the Lord. And it didn't happen overnight, but little by little she got back.

better and better. And today, Vanessa, is perfectly normal. She's as healthy and whole as can be. What happened? She rose up in faith and broke that curse off of her family line once and for all. And now her children, her descendants are all going to be better off because she chose to have a different spirit. You may be facing some kind of giant in your life today, a giant in your health, a giant in your finances, a giant in your relationships. But I'm challenging you, don't be a part of the majority and think this is too much for me. Don't be like the 10 spies and say, this is too big, I don't have a chance. No, God would not have allowed that challenge if you were not well able to overcome it.

He would not have put the dream in your heart if he had not already equipped you with everything you need to succeed. You got to shake off a defeated mindset. Shake off discouraging comments. Shake off those negative thoughts. That obstacle is no match for you. You have the seed of Almighty God on the inside. There is victory in your DNA. The favor of God is surrounding you right now like a shield.

And know this. Right past that giant is promotion. On the other side of that difficulty is a new level. of God's victory. And that adversity was never meant to destroy you. It was meant to promote you. But you've got to do your part and have this different spirit. You cannot afford to sink down into self-pity and think, why me?

This is not fair. Why do I always get these bad breaks? Now, you've got to dig your heels in. Look at that adversely like David and say, I will defeat you. Stand strong like Caleb and say I am well able. if you will have this different spirit, this can-do mentality, then all the forces of darkness cannot keep you from your God-given destiny. And some of you right now, like the people of Israel, you are camped right next door to your promised land. You are close to your victory,

but the obstacles look bigger than ever. It looks like there are giants in your land. You could easily just turn around and give up like they did. But you just you, you know, you have to realize the reason the enemy is fighting you so hard is because your victory is within reach. Don't talk yourself out of it. Don't let negative comments discourage you. This is not the time to complain. This is the time to have a different spirit. It's interesting, out of the 12 spies, only two had a good report. And I've found it's about the same statistics today. In general, 80% of people will see the problem. Only 20% will see the possibility. Eight out of 10 will try to talk you out of your dreams. Eight out of 10 will want to complain and settle rather than move forward in faith.

But I'm asking you to not be a part of the 80, be a part of the 20. Let's be like Caleb and say, everybody may say this is impossible. Everybody may be complaining, trying to talk me out of it. But no, I have a different spirit. I have a different spirit. I have a different. have a made up mind, I am not going to give up on the promise God put in my heart. I know right past this challenge is promotion, so I'm going to stay in faith and keep pressing forward. When you do that, God promises you will not only rise higher, but your children, your descendants, will see God's goodness in a greater way, all because you didn't live in the majority. You chose to live in the minority. And some of you today, you need to get your fire back. You've let people talk you out of your

dreams. You've let family members dampen your faith. You've let coworkers steal your joy. You need to draw that line in the sand and say, this is a new day. If they want to complain, they can complain, but I'm not joining in. If they want to live negative and sour, that's fine, but I'm living my life in faith. If they don't want to believe, that's okay, but they're not going to stop me. I am a believer and not a doubter. I am a thermostat and not a thermometer. If you'll learn to have this different spirit than just like Vanessa, you will overcome obstacles that looked insurmountable. Like David, you will conquer enemies that looked impossible. And like Caleb, even though everyone is settling around you, you and your children

will make it in to your promised land. You will fulfill your God-given destiny. Amen. Do you receive that 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 your places you've never dreamed of. Breath taking. That's what you've been. feel when you look out at majestic mountain peaks. Yes, God's creation truly is a masterpiece.

But even as you consider his handiwork, you might also feel less that, not good enough, or not valuable. The image before you is incredible, but the confidence inside is lacking. How do you overcome this? The opinion you have of yourself is your most important opinion. Too often we see ourselves as ordinary, not talented, unattractive. That wrong self-image is setting the limits for our life. The key is to get an agreement with who God says you are. He calls you a masterpiece, strong, talented, valuable. If you'll have the right image of yourself, you'll rise higher and become who you were created to be.

We have a new resource that will help you do just that. It's called You Are a Masterpiece. It's filled with inspiration and incredible. that will remind you who you really are. Gifted, chosen, approved. It will help you get rid of the wrong self-image and start seeing yourself as the masterpiece God created you to be. Azar thank you for your gift of any amount to the ministry this month.

We want to send you Joel's inspiring new book. You are a masterpiece. God made you unique with a divine purpose and a bright future. As these truths sink down in your spirit, the majesty of God's glory will arise within you. Yes, God has breathed his life into you. He approved you, equipped you, empowered you. Stop believing the lies about you and start hearing what God says about you.

Thanks so much for being a part of the ministry. Victoria and I pray for you and your family every day. Believing it's going to be a favor-filled 2024. We appreciate your prayer and support. Your generosity is impacting people. people around the world. Remember, you can watch the services live online Sunday mornings, see all the music and ministry. Download our daily podcast. Until we meet again, may the Lord bless you and keep you. Be sure to request your copy of the You Were a Masterpiece Today. Visit joelowstein.com.