Joel Osteen Podcast - Have The Courage To Be Different | Joel Osteen

Episode Date: December 31, 2020

It's easy to get complacent when we don't see anything changing. But if you'll keep doing the right thing even when the wrong thing is happening, God will take care of getting you to the next level.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 visit JoelOsteen.com/GiveHope 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.

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If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and share it with a friend? We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. God bless you. It is always our joy to come into your homes each week. And we come with good news. We know God rewards people that seek after him and I believe that's you today or you wouldn't be tuned in.

But thank you. And if you're ever in our area, I hope that you'll stop by and see us. I promise you will make you feel right at home. But thanks again for watching today. Now, I like to get started each week with something kind of funny, so listen to this one. A man was out walking through the woods with his friend when suddenly they came upon a huge grizzly bear. They both froze in their tracks.

As the bear stared intently at them, they contemplated what they should do. Finally, the man said, I think we should run. The friend replied, are you crazy? We could never outrun a bear. The man answered back, I know that. I don't have to outrun the bear. I just have to outrun you. Hold up your Bibles. Let's say it like you minute. Ready? 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. I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, ever-living seed of the Word of God. I'll never be the same. Never, never, never.

Never, never, I'll never be the same in Jesus' name. God bless you. I want to talk to you today about the importance of being fruitful and productive right where you are. A lot of times we think, as soon as I get out of this situation, then I'm going to be happy. As soon as I get a better job, then I'll start working hard. As soon as I get over this sickness, then I'll cheer up. Then I'll have a good attitude.

But really, God wants us to learn to become fruitful and productive. not when we get out of all of our afflictions. He wants us to be fruitful in the midst of our afflictions. He wants us to have a good attitude and do the right thing, even when the wrong thing's happening to us. He wants us to keep coming to church, even though our other family members won't come. He wants us to be a blessing to others,

even when no one is being a blessing to us. See, we have to be faithful in the wilderness if we're ever going to make it into our promised land. And human nature likes to make excuses. Well, Joel, I'll do it as soon as I get out of these problems. Or as soon as my back quits hurting. As soon as my child straightens up. No, you've got it backwards.

If you want things to change, you've got to sow a seed by doing the right thing first. You've got to pass that test. Well, this company doesn't pay me enough. I'm not going to work hard around here. No, you're not working under man. You're working under God. He's keeping the records. If you'll do the right thing, even though the wrong thing may be,

happening to you, then you are sowing a seed for God to bring you up higher. I read about this young man in his mid-20s. He was born with a terminal lung disorder. He couldn't breathe fully on his own. And so he had to carry around this oxygen tank wherever he went. He was constantly in and out of the hospitals, very susceptible to any kind of germs. So he's always developing these respiratory infections. And in the natural, it seemed like he had a good reason to live life with a chip on his shelter. It seemed like he had a good reason to be sour. But no, this young man was different. In spite of his affliction, he was productive. He never went down and got a handicapped sticker for his car. He didn't want that kind of image in front of him. He never sat around feeling sorry for himself,

saying why God me. No, he went out and got a good job. He excelled at that position, got promotion after promotion. He was very involved in his church, active in the youth ministry. He was was a giver, a worker. And everywhere he went, he left that place better off than they were before. See, in the middle of his affliction, he was fruitful. In spite of that adversity, he just kept on being productive. And do you know one day he got a call from the hospital, and they said, we've got good news, we've got some new lungs waiting for you. He had that transplant. It was successful. And today, he doesn't need that oxygen tank anymore. He can breathe a deep breath of air just like you and I can.

He's living a normal, healthy life. But he could have so easily had the attitude, as soon as I get free from this disease, then I'm going to start being good to people. As soon as I get my transplant, as soon as God heals me, then I'll get to work. Then I'll start using my gifts and talents.

But right now, it's just too difficult. I've just got too many obstacles. No, he had that victor mentality and not that victim mentality. And no matter what comes against you, you need to make up your mind that it's not going to stop you from being your very best. It's not going to stop you from coming to church. It's not going to stop you from working hard.

It's not going to stop you from enjoying your life. Friends, we have to be determined. We need to dig our heels in and say, it doesn't matter what it looks like. I'm going to have a good attitude. I'm going to be fruitful. I'm going to be productive right here in the middle of my adversity. That's the seed we're sowing for God to change things.

See, don't fall into that track. of thinking, well, I'm not going to work hard at my office because nobody appreciates me. I don't ever get any of the credit. But when I get that new job I'm really praying about, then I'm going to give it my best. Then I'm going to get to work on time. Then I'm going to start developing my skills. No, take this in the right sense, but there's a good chance you'll never get that new position. You have to pass the test right where you are.

If we're not faithful in the little things, how can God trust us in the bigger things? If it's your job to sweep the floors every day, you need to sweep those floors with all of your might. Young people, if you're making minimum wage flipping hamburgers, don't be sloppy, don't be lazy, don't do it half-hearted, do it with excellence. If we're not faithful in what seems to be the insignificant areas, then we'll never rise much higher. I've discovered if you don't have a good attitude making minimum wage, most likely you're not going to have a good attitude as the CEO of that company. You've got to be faithful right where you are. In your marriage, maybe your spouse is not everything you would want them to be. Maybe there's some things that are not fair.

He doesn't spend much time with you or he doesn't communicate very well. And you're tempted to think, well, I'm just going to go do my own thing. I'm going to give him a taste of his own medicine. When he changes, then I'll start treating him better. Now, why don't you be the bigger person? Why don't you sow a seed by being kind to him, even though he doesn't. isn't deserving. Why don't you sow a seed by doing your best to keep the peace in your marriage? If you'll just keep being fruitful and productive in spite of that affliction, then God will begin

to turn things around. Well, you say, Joel, it's just not fair. You don't know what I've been through. I've got this sickness or it worked. They're just not treating me right. Well, I realize it may not be fair, but all I'm saying is living life negative and bitter, going around with a chip on your shoulder, always trying to pay somebody back, all that's going to do is poison your own life. You may have been dealt a tough hand to deal with. Maybe you've been through some big disappointments, or even right now, there's things in your life that you know are just not right. And it's very tempting to get discouraged. It's very easy to get complacent and kind of just sit back and say, you know what, what's the use? This is never going to change. But no, my message to you today

is you have got to keep being your very best right where you are. You have to keep being faithful. Even if nobody else sees it, you need to know God sees it. He's the one that's in control. He's the one that brings promotion. The scripture says, God lifts up one and he brings down another. If you can just keep a good attitude in the middle of that adversity, if you can keep a smile on your face and keep being good to people,

even though they're not being good to you. Let me tell you, in the long run, you will always come out ahead. No ifs, ands or buts. In the long run, you're going to prosper, you're going to be happy, you're going to see your dreams begin to come to pass. I think about Joseph.

Nobody had more unfair things happen than he did. His brothers were so jealous of him. They threw him into that pit. Eventually, they ended up selling him as a slave in Egypt. And Joseph spent 13 years in place, prison for something that he didn't do. But really the lesson we can learn from Joseph's life is that he didn't get bitter. He didn't get angry. And he didn't just sit back and say, okay, God, when you get me out of all of this, then I'll start using my gifts and talents. God, when I feel a little better,

then I'll show these people what I've really got. No, right there in the middle of his affliction, he was productive and fruitful. He wasn't lazy. He didn't show up late. He didn't have a, what can get by with attitude, he gave it his very best. And every place they put him, he got promoted. Even when he was in prison, he was so sharp, so organized, so skilled, they put him in charge of that whole prison. One day he had some interaction with Pharaoh. He interpreted a dream for him.

And finally, Pharaoh said, what's this guy doing in prison? He's smarter than anybody I've got. Bring him out here to me. I'm going to use him as my right-hand man. That's what happens when you stay fruitful and productive in the midst of your adversity. God will promote you. He'll take what the enemy means for evil, and he'll turn it around and use it to your advantage. After all this was over, Joseph had two sons.

I think it's significant. He named one son Ephraim, which means to prosper, to be fruitful, to be productive. And he gave him this name because God helped him to be prosperous in the middle of the of his affliction. He named the other son Manasseh, which means to cause to forget. And he gave him this name because God helped him to forget the painful memories of his past. And if you're ever going to have a Manassah in your life, you have to have an Ephraim. In other words, if you want God to remove the pains of the past, you've got to be fruitful and productive right where you are. You've got to just keep passing that test. Just be faithful day in and day out. Then

God will remove those painful memories. You may be here today and you're very upset over a relationship that didn't work out. And you're thinking, man, Joel, I could never really be happy again. But no, listen, God can bless you in such a way that you don't even think about all you've been through. He can bring somebody new into your life so great, so good looking, so godly, so fun to be around, and so rich that you don't even think about that old goat that walked out on you. I'm sure Joseph,

after he was put in charge of all the affairs of Egypt, he didn't dwell on all that he had been through. God erased those painful memories. In fact, when his brothers came back many years later, the same ones that threw him into that pit, he wasn't mad at them. He didn't try to get even.

He said, no, I'm not worried about this in the least bit. That's all over and done. I'm moving on with my life. That's what God wants to do for each one of us. And things may not be perfect in your life, but really my message is you've got to start being your very best right where you are. Quit waiting for God to change things. You've got to sow that seed.

Why don't you be good to the people in your life today, your family, your friends, your coworkers, your neighbors. Don't wait for some big break. Don't wait till you win the lottery. Then you're going to be good to somebody. No, be good to somebody. right now. You say, Joel, I need the money more than they do.

No, you need to get some seed in the ground. Even if you don't have money, you can find something else to give. Give a smile. Give an encouraging word. Give somebody a ride. Go visit somebody in the hospital. Go mow somebody's lawn. Do something to be fruitful right where you are.

See, in your time of need, you've got to learn to sow a seed. You've got to get your mind off of yourself. Quit thinking about your problems. and how unfair it was and what's wrong in your life. And instead, start thinking about how you can be a blessing to somebody. There's nothing any worse than living a self-centered life. Nothing will steal our joy any more than getting up every morning and only having ourselves on our mind.

My problems, my heartache, my pain. God, when are you going to turn this around? God, when are you going to start blessing me? No, quit thinking about how you can be blessed and start thinking about how you can be a blessing. If you will make it your business to make somebody else's day, God will always make your own day. I've learned that if I can just focus on meeting other people's needs, God will always meet my own needs. And some of you are waiting for your ship to come in, but the problem is you haven't sent one out.

You've got to go out and start being a blessing, start being productive, start being fruitful right where you are. And don't complain about what you don't have. Learn to thank God for what you do have. You may have all kinds of odds against you today. You may have been dealt one of those unfair hands, but you've got to take what God has given you and make the very most out of it. If life has dealt you a lemon, you've got to make lemonade. You may be like that young man,

you've got a serious problem. But even then, don't allow that to cause you to sit back in self-pity. Do what you can. If you can't get out of bed, encourage the nurse when she comes in. Pick up the phone and be a blessing to somebody. So that seed.

Always remember you are not a victim, you are a victor. God always causes you to triumph. In your times of adversity, don't you dare sit around thinking about your problems. Get your mind off of yourself. The more you think about your problems, the bigger they become. I heard somebody say, if you owned an apartment complex and you rented out 80% of those apartments to drug dealers and thieves and cheaters,

and then you rented the other 20% to normal law-abiding citizens, well, after a few months, the drug dealers and cheaters are going to run off all the normal good people. And it's the same way in our minds. If you spend all your time thinking about your problems and all the disappointments you've been through and how unfair your life is, well, after a while, all those negative thoughts

are going to run off any positive thoughts. You'll go through life to feed it and depressed. Thinking, man, life's a bummer for me. Nothing good ever happens. No, quit renting out space in your mind to your problems. Quit dwelling on the negative. Only rent space to thoughts of hope, thoughts of faith, thoughts of victory. When you're in those tough times and you're tempted to get discouraged,

you just got to dwell on the fact, no, all things work together for my good because I love the Lord. God is taking this adversity. And like Joseph, he's going to use it to my advantage. He's going to take this stumbling block and use it as a step and stone for greater things. Our attitude should be, I'm excited about my future. I know good things are in store. I know no weapon formed against me is ever going to prosper. And then go out each day and in spite of your obstacles, be good to somebody.

Be productive anyway. You say, Joel, I just work in a real negative environment. These people just don't treat me right. Well, sow a seed anyway. Get there early. Work hard. Have a smile on your face. Be an encouragement to others.

Well, Joel, everybody at my office is always late. Everybody goofs off when the boss is gone. Everybody's kind of lazy. No, listen, you're not everybody. You're a cut above. Be the person of excellence God's made you to be. Learn to do what's right whether anybody's watching you or not. Take that high road.

Treat people with respect even though they really don't deserve it. Be kind even though they're talking about you. If you will stay on the high road and just be fruitful even in the midst of that affliction, then God can bring you out of that affliction. We have to pass the test. I was thinking about my sister Lisa, one time she went through a great disappointment in her life. When she was in her early 20s, her marriage didn't work out. And it was a very unfair situation, very hurtful, and she was devastated. She never dreamed she'd be facing that kind of challenge.

And for several months, Lisa would hardly even eat. She'd barely sleep at night. She thought she is having a nervous breakdown. And of course, as our family, we did our best to encourage her. But it seemed like she was in this dark hole that we just couldn't get her out of him. And she told how one day, God spoke to her, not out loud,

but right down in here. And he said, Lisa, you can either sit around in self-pity for the rest of your life and sink deeper and deeper into this pit, or you can rise up and do something about it. And she made a decision that very day that she wasn't going to waste another minute

being depressed and defeated. In her time of affliction, in her time of need, you know what she did? She sowed a seed. She started a class here every Tuesday night called the Healing Center for marriages. She began to encourage other people that were struggling in their marriages, other people that were believing for their mates to return. And every week, she gave it her very best. She encouraged them. She shared the scriptures. And over the years, they saw so many marriages restored. But see, Lisa didn't sit around waiting for God to change things. In her affliction, she got productive. She got fruitful.

And she used the very thing the enemy came against her with to help others. She sowed a seed in that same area. I mean, she was faithful. There were times where she would not go on vacation with us as a family because she did not want to miss teaching that class. See, she had her Ephraim. She was productive in spite of the affliction. And sure enough, God removed the pains of her past.

One day, she met a young man many years later named Kevin. They fell in love and got married. Today they have three beautiful children. They're as happy as they could possibly be. But I believe a real key in Lisa's victory was the fact that she got productive and fruitful in spite of that adversity. She could still be sitting here today negative, bitter, blaming God. But no, she sowed a seed.

She did the right thing, even though the wrong thing happened to her. She didn't rent out a bunch of space in her mind to her problems. She didn't stay focused on the negative. She knew, as she helped other people in need, God would meet her own needs. You may be here today, and you too have been through a big disappointment. Or maybe you're in a situation right now that's just not really fair. But I challenge you to don't sit around feeling sorry for yourself. You've got to do like Lisa and rise up out of that.

And one of the best things you can do is go help. somebody else in need. The Bible says, God turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends. Isn't it interesting? Job didn't get healed when he prayed for himself. Nothing wrong with that.

That's great. But if you really want to get God's attention in your time of need, go be a blessing to somebody else. I remember my mother when she was fighting that cancer in 1981. Instead of coming home and just going to bed, depressed and defeated, you know what she did?

she went down to the church and prayed for other people that were sick. The truth is, my mother needed prayer more than any of them, but she was sowing a seed. And so often we get it backwards. We say, God, as soon as you turn this around, then I'll start being good to people. Then I'll get

my family back in church. Then I'll have a good attitude. But no, if you want God to intervene in your life, if you want him to remove the pains of the past, you've got to first be fruitful right where you are. I know some of you today, you have a real good reason to be unhappy. There are a lot of things in your life that could drag you down,

but I'm challenging you to just make that decision that you're going to be happy right where you are. You're going to do like Joseph and be good to people anyway. In that time of need, you've got to just keep sowing that seed. I think about David, he was the youngest of seven brothers, and he got stuck with the job of taking care of his father's sheep. I'm sure it was kind of lonely and kind of boring out there in the shepherd's fields, all by himself. I mean, here he's a young man. He's got big dreams in his heart. And his future

as far as he can see, though, is just to keep taking care of these sheep. But see, David possessed the same quality that Joseph had. He didn't sit around thinking about his problems and thinking about how unfair his life was. He just prospered right where he was.

He just flourished right in that situation. He wasn't lazy. He didn't do it with a half-hearted effort. He gave it his very best. He had that excellent spirit. I can imagine during the day as his sheep were out grazing, he'd get his slingshot, and he'd practice and practice.

Maybe he'd set up a target down the way. And with rock after rock, he'd see how many times he could hit that. He did that day after day. He became more and more skilled with that slingshot. When a wild animal would come along and try to get one of his sheep, if he didn't take care of it with his bare hands,

he'd get that slingshot out and just nail it. and time again. And think about it. Nobody was watching him. Nobody was making him do what's right. He did it because he had an excellent spirit. He was faithful even out there in the wilderness. And the truth is, David had plenty of opportunities to have a chip on his shoulder. He had plenty of opportunities to be sour. You remember when the prophet Samuel came to David's father's house, and he was going to choose one of the brothers to be the next king of Israel. Well, they didn't even bother to come get David out of the Shepherdsfields. They just left him out there. In their mind, he wasn't even in the running. They thought, oh, that's just David. He's young. He's never going

mount to anything. Don't even waste your time going out there. You can imagine how you would feel if your own family didn't respect you enough to give you a chance. But still David, he just kept passing the test. He kept his head held high. He knew God was in control. He knew if he kept doing the right thing, his due season would come. The good news is, and the good news is, he was, he is, when God is ready to promote you, no man can stop you. No person can leave you out. No circumstance can keep you down. When God says it's time, then it's time.

The Bible says there were several hundred men from the Israeli army that could use their slingshot and hit a small stick over a hundred meters away. But isn't it interesting? God didn't choose any of them. He chose a shepherd boy. David wasn't trained in the elite academy with the rest of those sharpshooters. He was trained out in the lonely shepherds fields. All those times day after day, year after year, practicing, training, using that slingshot

to nail those wild animals. And David never knew he was going to face Goliath one day. But see, God knew. What if he had been lazy? What if he'd had a sour attitude and thought, man, why'd I get stuck out here? Life's not fair. No, he just kept being. productive in spite of that adversity.

He kept developing his skills even though he wasn't getting his way. You know the story. He went out and faced Goliath. People mocked and laughed. They said, oh, this is going to be a big joke, but really David had the last laugh. And you may not realize it, but Goliath was

wearing a full suit of body armor. He only had one unprotected spot, and it was on his forehead. Right here was the only vulnerable place on his whole body. And had David not been skilled, he wouldn't have had a chance. Had he not learned the art of slinging that stone with perfection, we wouldn't be talking about him today. Because let me tell you, God didn't throw the rock for him.

God didn't tell him, you know, just cause it to supernaturally hit at the right spot. No, David paid the price. David developed his talents. He was faithful in the wilderness. And when it came time for him to come into the promised land, he was ready. He was prepared. Let me ask you today, what are you doing with what God has given you? Are you making the most of it?

Are you developing your skills? Are you faithful at the office? Are you being the best mother you can possibly be? Maybe all you have is the equivalent of a few small stones. Like David, you just feel like you're taking care of a few sheep. Let me tell you, if you'll be faithful right where you are and do it to the best of your ability, then when God is looking for someone to promote,

When he's looking for someone to slay a giant, you'll be ready. And like David, God can thrust you to a whole new level of victory in your life. But understand our attitudes, how we respond in the tough times, how we treat people when we're not being treated right, these are character builders. We have to pass these tests if we're ever going to come up higher. So let me challenge you again today. You'll never forget the pains of the past unless you first get fruitful and productive right where you are.

Well, what are you up against? Don't run from it. Don't live life bitter. Have a good attitude. Put a smile on your face and make a decision with me that you're going to be the best that you can possibly be right where you are. The truth is, we all face disappointments. We all have unfair things happen.

But don't sit back feeling sorry for yourself. Go out and be a blessing to somebody else. Learn to sow the seed in your time of need. You can let your test become your testimony. If you do that, I can promise you this. God will take you places that you've never dreamed up. You'll rise higher and higher. You'll overcome every giant in your life

and you'll experience the victorious life God has in store for you. Amen. How many of you receive it today? I know you do. 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'm making 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 that you've never dreamed out. Thank you for listening to the Joel Osteen podcast. Help us continue to share the message of hope with those all over the world. Visit Joelosteen.com slash give hope to give a gift today. Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope you'll subscribe so you. you can receive the latest podcast to keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you.

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