Joel Osteen Podcast - Increasing Your Capacity To Receive | Joel Osteen

Episode Date: September 7, 2023

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Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones. Dive in deeper at Bose.com forward slash... I heart. Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you enjoyed 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. And God bless you. It is always a joy to come into your homes. We love you. And if you're ever in our area, I hope you'll stop by and be a part of one of our services. I promise it we'll have a lot of fun. Plus, we'll make you feel right at home. but thanks for tuning in.

Thanks again for coming out. I like to start with something funny, and I heard about this airplane that was about to crash. And there were four passengers, but only three parachutes. The first passenger said, I'm a leading heart surgeon. My patients need me. He took the first parachute and jumped. The second passenger said, I'm a rocket scientist.

And one of the smartest men alive, my country needs me. He took the second parachute and jumped. The third passenger was Pope John. John Paul. He said to the fourth passenger, a 10-year-old Boy Scout, son, I'm old and frail. I don't have much time left. You take the last parachute. The Boy Scout

said, don't worry about it, sir. There are still two parachutes left. The smartest man alive, he just jumped out with my backpack. 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 increasing your capacity to receive. God has all kinds of great things in store for you. He has favor in your future like you've never imagined. He's got good breaks, new opportunities, the right people, God wants to take your places you've never even dreamed of. But here's the key.

God is limited by our capacity to receive. For instance, if you have a one gallon bucket, yet I have 50 gallons to give you, the problem is not with the supply. The problem is you don't have the capacity to receive. If you'd get rid of that small container and get something larger, then I could give you more. It's the same principle with God. if we think we've reached our limits.

We think the economy is too bad. We're going to have a down year. We think we'll never get well. That's what the medical report says. Never afford the house that we really want. It's not that God doesn't have the resources. It's not that he doesn't have the ability. The fact is our container is too small.

Our thinking is limited. We have to enlarge our vision and make room for the new things God wants to do. And our attitude should be, yes, the economy is down, but I know God is still on the throne. I know he still has promotion and increase already lined up for me. I know his favor surrounds me like a shield. I know wherever I go, goodness and mercy follow me. So I'm believing to have an extraordinary year. When you have that kind of attitude, what are you doing? You're increasing your capacity to receive. That's when

you're going to see God show up and show out in unusual ways. But some people, you're going to people, they go around with a small cup, so to speak. They're not expecting much. They've always struggled. Others have traded in their cup and they've got a bucket. They're doing okay. They're surviving, but not planning on going much further. Still others, they've traded in the bucket. They've stretched their faith. They've got a barrel. They're believing to rise higher. Yet there's one other group. This group is very unusual. These people believe for far and beyond favor. They believe God is going to prosper them even in a recession. They believe their children will be mighty in the land.

They're expecting explosive blessings. They know down deep, supernatural increase is coming. So they don't have a cup. They don't have a bucket. They don't have a barrel. They've been coming to Lakewood too long. They've got a barn. They've got a whole warehouse.

They're expecting God to open the windows of heaven and pour out unprecedented favor. supernatural opportunities, exponential increase. Says in Psalms, open your mouth wide and I will fill it. My question is, do you have your mouth open wide? What are you expecting? Well, Joel, I don't think I'll ever meet myself's goals this year with the economy like it is. I don't think I'll ever get promoted.

I'm not that qualified. Don't think I'll ever get well. The problem is your mouth is barely open. You're not expecting good breaks. You're not expecting increase. not expecting God to show up and turn it around. And unfortunately, you won't be disappointed. The scripture says, Jesus said it, according to your faith, it will be done unto you. He might as well have said, if you've got a cup, I'll fill you with a cup level of blessing.

If you got a bucket, I'll fill you with a bucket level of blessing. But he's saying, if you've got a barn, in other words, if you'll take the limits off of God, if you'll believe for supernatural opportunities. If you'll go out each day expecting far and beyond favor, you won't be disappointed. Psalm 3719 says, even in famine, the righteous will have more than enough. When you've got your mouth open wide, you're not complaining about the economy. You're expecting to have a supernatural year. You're expecting increase even in a middle of a recession. Your child may be off course, but you're not praying, oh, God, just keep him from driving me crazy. No, you're saying, God, you said, my children will be mighty in the land. So I want to thank you. You're not only going

to turn him around, but you're going to use him to do something great for you. When you have your mouth open wide, you're not just hoping to make your monthly mortgage payments. You're believing to totally pay your house off, to live totally debt-free. That's barn level living. Let me ask you, do you go out each day knowing that favor is already in your future? Or have you gotten stuck in a rut? This is what happened to the people of Israel. They were headed toward the promised land. They had big goals, big dreams.

But along the way, they hit some setbacks, had some disappointments. They got so discouraged, they gave up on their dreams and just settled where they were. One day God said to them, you have dwelt long enough on this place. mountain. I believe God is saying that to each one of us. You've been where you are long enough. Some of you have held that cup year after year. It's how you were raised. It's all you've ever known. Some of you, at one time, you had your sight set on the barn, but you had some setbacks, and now you've just settled for that bucket. God is saying, this is a new day. Get your fire back. Where you are is not where you're supposed to stay. And I'm asking you, you,

to increase your capacity to receive. That means you're going to stretch your faith. You're going to start thinking bigger, believing bigger. You're going to go beyond barriers that have held you back, and you're going to make room for God to do something new. I've learned you've got to give God permission to increase you. You've got to give God permission to prosper you.

God has brought opportunities across my path in years past that I turned down. I thought they were too big. I didn't think I was qualified. It was so far beyond what I thought I could handle. I didn't even get in agreement with God and at least release my faith for it. Now I realize I wasn't giving God permission to prosper me. I missed those opportunities to go further. Jesus put it like this.

You can't put new wine in old wine skins. He was saying you can't go to a new level with a an old way of thinking. Many of you are ready for God to do something new. When you hear this truth, that it's going to be a great year, that God has more in store, something resonates on the inside. That's your spirit person coming into agreement with God. But very often, our natural mind will try to talk us out of it. Your mind will tell you, it's not going to happen for you. You're not going to have a great year. You know what the economy's like. Or you're never going to get well. You saw what the medical report says. You're never going to get married. You've been single so long. Just accept it.

No, get rid of that old wine skin. Trade in that small container for something larger. This is a new season. What's happened in the past is over and done. You may have been through some disappointments. Tried, failed, it didn't work out. That's okay. God is still in control. Get a new vision for your life. Have the attitude. This is my year. to go to a new level. This is my year to be totally healthy. This is my year to meet the person of my dreams. If you open your mouth wide, God said he will fill it. But it starts right here with us, with our capacity to receive. We cannot go around thinking thoughts of mediocrity and expect to excel. We can't think thoughts of defeat and barely get by, help me to survive, and at the same time,

expect God to fill us with abundance. The two days, don't go together. Get rid of that cup, trade in that bucket, throw away that barrel, and come over to the barn level. God is a God of abundance. And it says in Psalm 115, the Lord your God will increase you and your family more and more. Increase has always been on God's mind. His dream is that we'd never get stuck at one level. In fact, Jesus said he came that we might have life to the full, in abundance till it overflows. You need to get that on the inside. Here's why I'm headed, three places,

to a full life, an abundant life, an overflowing life. And if you'll stay in faith, no matter what container you put out there, God will cause it to overflow. I remember when I wrote my first book, Your Best Life Now, before it came out,

I would pray, God, if you'll just let this sell 50,000 copies. That was so big in my mind. I was stretching my faith. And at that time, we had about 20,000 people coming each weekend. And I thought if each one of you would buy one copy, that would be about half of the 50. Then I'll get my family and friends and neighbors.

But God likes to do exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond. He is a God of overflow. That book went on to sell more than 100 times that 50,000. I've learned now, if you'll start higher, God will still cause it to overflow. It's great to overflow with a cup. It's exciting to overflow with a bucket or a barrel. But when you put that barn level faith out there, that's when you'll see God do more than you can ask or think.

That's when you'll see God open up doors that you thought were impossible. What happened? You stretched your faith. And that allowed God to pour out his far and beyond favor. Now, I want you to get a bigger vision for your life. It says in Proverbs 29, verse 18, If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble. In other words, if you don't have this vision for increase,

if you're not expecting favor, you've just kind of gotten satisfied with where you are, then you will live below your privileges. But if you will get a vision, not of only who you are, a child of the most time, but a vision of what you're entitled to, and you go out expecting supernatural opportunities in favor, it goes on to say, if you can see what God has revealed, you will be the most blessed.

Notice, not average blessed, not good enough blessed. As a child of the most high, you are entitled to be the most blessed. Well, you say, Joel, I never get any good breaks. I don't think I'll ever be able to pay my house off, never get out of debt, never get well. No, your vision is limited. I'm trying to help you today understand the great. things God has in store, the amazing places he's going to take you, the incredible opportunities he has in your future. Because I know if your vision increases, then your capacity to receive

will increase. And that's when the most high will pour out blessings to where you say, I am not a little blessed. I'm not average blessed. I have to say, I am most blessed. Well, you say, Joel, are you one of those prosperity ministers? No, I'm not a prosperity minister, but I can tell you this, I am not a poverty minister. I cannot

find one place in the scripture where we're supposed to drag around, defeated, depressed, barely making it, always just scraping by. It is just the opposite. You remember those three things, an abundant life, an overflowing life, a full life.

you and I are supposed to be examples of what it means to live for the true and the living God. Everywhere we go, we should be so blessed. We should look so good, so sharp. We should be so kind, so friendly, so generous. People think, man, what is it with them? They always look good. They're always friendly. They're always in a good mood.

People should want what we have. If I brought our two children up here today, their clothes were all around, raggedy, holes in their pants, nothing's iron, hair's messed up, long, drab faces. First thing you'd think is, man, what kind of father is he? Why would he let his kids go around looking like that? It's a poor reflection on me. It's the same thing with our God. It doesn't bring him any honor when we think we're supposed to go around defeated, depressed, barely getting by. No matter where you are, no matter what level you're at, you need to put your shoulders back, hold your head up high, put a smile on your face, carry yourself with confidence. You're a child of the most high God.

You may only have one suit, one dress, one outfit. You need to clean it, iron it, and wear it like you're on top of the world. It says here in Romans 517, we are to reign in life as king. When God looks at us, he doesn't see us defeated, barely getting by, just take the leftover positions. Not at all. God sees you as a king. He sees you as a queen. You have his royal blood flowing through your veins. You and I are supposed to rain in life. You know what that word rain means? It means your time in power. God said we're to rain how long? In life. That means as long as long. as you're alive, that is your time in power. You don't have a two-year term like a mayor, a four-year term like a president. Your term is to rain every single day, to be victorious,

to rise to new levels, to accomplish great things. And on those days where you don't feel like a king, you don't feel like a queen, if you can just remember to reach down and check your pulse. And as long as you feel something beating, you can say, what do you know? It's still my time to rain. Let that be a reminder to put on a new attitude. And sometimes you have to do this by faith. You may not feel victorious. It may not look like you're blessed.

But I like what somebody says. You've got to fake it until you make it. By faith, you need to walk like a king, talk like a king, think like a king, dress like a king, smile like a king. Don't go by what you see, go by what you know. is royalty in your DNA. You have the blood of a winner. You were created to reign in life. Too many people are living below their privileges. It's because their vision has been clouded by past mistakes, disappointments, how they were raised. They don't feel like royalty. They don't

think they could be successful, really accomplish what God's put in their heart. But I believe today. As I'm speaking faith into you, something's happening on the inside. New seeds are taking root. Strong holes that may have kept you back for years, even right now, are being broken. You need to rise

up and say, that's it. I'm not settling where I am. I know it's still my time of power. Yes, I may have taken a break for a little while, but I've got an announcement. I'm coming back. I'm going to start stepping up to who God created me to be. When you really

understand your God-given position. The fact that you were created to reign, and it's still your time of power, those negative mindsets cannot stay. As you renew your mind, a transformation is taking place. Your vision is increasing today. I believe even right now, you are making room for God to do more. And the good news is, God is ready to pour out more. Doesn't matter what's happened in the past. What matters is your future. Don't live. below your privileges. You were not created to be average. God put a crown of favor on your head. He is destined you to do great things. You may not have seen it yet, but if you'll stay in faith and make room for it, the most high says you're going to be the most blessed. You're going to have

the most peace, the most friends, the most fulfillment, the most resources, the most wisdom, the most opportunity. Most blessed means you will not lack in any good area. And some of you today, you just need to give God permission to increase you. You have given, you have served, you've honored him. The only thing that's holding you back is a limited mindset. Maybe you've tried and struggled and it didn't work out. I don't know. I talk to people that they don't feel like they deserve to be blessed because of past mistake, but you've got to shake all of that off. Dare to believe. Get rid of that cup. Get rid of the bucket. Get rid of the barrel. God has a barn load full of blessings in store for each one of you. This is what my father had to do. Daddy was raised in an extremely poor

environment. That's all he had ever known. He developed this limited mindset. Really, it was a poverty mentality. It had been ingrained in him. He loved God and he was a good person, but early on, he didn't have any vision for increase. He thought barely getting by and struggling was just his lot in life. He didn't want to complain about it, so he just accepted. it. When he first started pastoring, this was more than 60 years ago, one week he and my mother kept a guest minister

in their home. And Sunday after the service, a business person came up and said, Pastor, I know you've had a lot of extra expenses this week keeping our special guest. So I would like you to have this $1,000 check. That would be like somebody giving you $20,000

today. My father nearly passed out. He had never had anybody give him anything like that. In fact, his first offering was only 25 cents. He and my mother, they were making $117 a week, barely scraping by

trying to raise their children. You would have thought my father would have been thrilled, so happy, just thanking God, but it was just the opposite. His capacity to receive was limited. He had embraced that little cup for so long

he could not fathom, having a bucket or a barrel, much less a barn. Here, God was trying to do something new. God was trying to expand him, but he had that old wine skin. That gentleman handed him the check. Daddy took it by the corner,

the very tip, like there was something wrong with it. Like it was poison. He said, oh, no, brother, I could never receive this for myself. I must put it in the church treasury. He walked over and he said when he dropped it in the offering plate, right when he let it go, he felt sick to his stomach.

Why was that? God has put something on the inside of every one of us that says, we're supposed to be blessed. We're supposed to rise higher. We're supposed to leave an inheritance to our children's children. My father eventually learned this truth. He shook off that poverty mindset, and he began to increase his capacity to receive. He inherited a cup, but he got rid of it. and put a bucket out there. God filled it up. He put a barrel out. God increased him. He developed this more than enough, this barn level mentality. We wouldn't be here today if he hadn't been willing to break out of that rut. Your relatives may have handed you a cup. Maybe your parents, the people you grew up with, they just handed you that cup, but that does not have to set the limits for your life.

You need to draw the line in the sand and say where I am is not where I'm staying. I may have been handed this cup, but I'm trading it in. Not for a bucket, not for a barrel. I'm going for the gold. I've got my sight set on that barn. And as you increase your capacity to receive, just like with my father, God is going to open up supernatural doors. He's going to give you new ideas.

He's going to bring talent out of you that you didn't even know you had. Don't live with a narrow vision. Don't think that you've reached your limits. you would not be alive if God didn't have increase in your future. Get rid of that old wine skin. You may have had victories in your past, but you haven't seen anything yet. You haven't touched the surface of what God has in store. He has levels of blessings in your future that are going to amaze you. It's like this little frog I heard about. He was born at the bottom of a well. It was just a small circular well like you'd see at a typical rural area farm.

And just he and his family lived there. He was so content every day to splash around and to play in the well. He thought life is good. We've got all the water in the world to ourselves. It just doesn't get any better than this. But as he got a little older, he noticed the light at the top of the well. He wondered what was up there. One day he got his confidence up and he climbed the side of the well.

Very cautiously, when he got to the top, he peered over the edge. And behold, the first thing he saw was a pond. He couldn't believe it. It was thousands of times bigger than what he had. He hopped a little further and he came to a lake. He stood there in amazement. Hopped a little bit further. Eventually, he came to the ocean.

He looked left and right. As far as he could see from miles and miles, there was water. He began to realize how limited his thinking was. He thought he had it all. But all he really had was a drop in the bucket compared to what God wanted him to enjoy. And in the same way, God's dream for your life is so much bigger, so much better than you can even imagine. If God showed you what he had in store, it would boggle your mind. But so many times we're like this little frog.

Our thinking is limited. We've been enclosed in our environment. All we've known is a certain level of living, a certain way. way of thinking. Too often we get satisfied. Think, well, this is just my lot in life. But could it be that God has oceans for you to enjoy, but you're staying in a little pond thinking that you have it all? Could it be that you've got a cup mentality? And yet God is standing over by a big barn that has your name on it? I'm asking you to go a little further than you're used to going. Dare to do like that little frog and look out over the edge. Get a bigger vision for your life. Believe for bigger things.

Your best days are not in your past. They are still in your future. It says in Psalm 3527, let them say continually, let the Lord be magnified who takes pleasure in the prosperity of his children. Notice they were supposed to go around saying this. Let God be magnified. He takes pleasure in prospering me. I believe one reason they were supposed to say it all the time was because God knows when we hear something long enough it gets down on the inside.

We start to believe it. It starts to affect our vision. All through the day, they heard themselves declaring favor over their lives saying God takes pleasure in prospering me. They were saying in effect, I'm coming up higher. I'm coming out of debt. New

doors are opening. God is restoring my marriage. My health is improving. What were they doing? They were increasing their capacity to receive. We got to do the same thing. Speak that favor over your life. Somebody ask you how you're doing. No matter how you feel, you need to tell them, I am blessed and highly favored. And you might as well add, and I'm going to have a supernatural year. Friends, God takes pleasure in prospering you. Will you get this down in your spirit? God wants you to rise higher. And some of you are stuck in a rut. Maybe like my father, generations of lack and constantly struggling. You're just about to accept that's the way it's always

going to be. Now, you've got to get rid of that old mindset. Make a decision today, you're coming out of the well, coming out of the pond, coming out of the lake, and you're headed straight toward the ocean. You're going to enjoy the fullness of what God has in store. Remember, you've been created to rain. You are a king, you are a queen, and your time of power is still in session. If you open your mouth wide, God is going to fill it. You may not see how it can happen, but that's okay. God has a way. He has explosive blessings that can thrust you to a new level.

One touch of God's favor can take you from the well right over to the ocean. If you will take the limits off of God and make room for him to do something new, then you're not going to have an average year. You're not going to have a mediocre year. You're going to have a supernatural year. You're going to see supernatural breaks, supernatural healer. supernatural deliverance, supernatural restoration, supernatural opportunities, supernatural connections.

God is going to unleash supernatural increase in your life. When you look back, you're going to be able to say, 2009 was my year to shine. It was a supernatural year. 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 your places that you've never dreamed of. Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to keep you encouraged and inspired all through the week. Help us to continue to share the message of hope with those all around the world. Visit Joel Osteen.com or click the link in the description to partner with us today. We hope you'll share this message with a friend and be sure to follow us on social media. We're praying for you.

I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you next time. No one likes to talk about money. Am I saving enough? Can I buy a house? Am I paying too much in taxes? Will I be able to retire? What if you could unlock insights about your finances and less than five?

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