Joel Osteen Podcast - It's As Good As Done

Episode Date: March 4, 2020

We all face moments when the future seems uncertain. But we can’t let the uncertainty of tomorrow keep us from making the most of today. When you live from the perspective that what God planned is as good as done, you’ll have peace no matter what comes your way. You may not see it yet, but if God said it, you can trust the victory is on the way!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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See Terms and Conditions at UNS dot. See you. Hi, this is Joel. Today our son Jonathan is going to be sharing with you. I hope you enjoy the podcast. Tonight, I want to share from the thought, it's as good as done. There are times we find ourselves in uncertain situations, days when life can feel so out of our control, moments when we're not sure if it's ever going to work out. Are we going to meet the right person? Do we have what it takes? make it through this challenge. We can let the uncertainty of tomorrow keep us from making the most of today. But the good news is, God has already gone ahead of us. He's already lined up the right people, the right opportunities, the right resources in your future. He's already worked out

what we're worried about. He had the solution before we even had the problem. He's not dealing with uncertainty. He's not trying to figure it out. He said in Isaiah, I am God from the very beginning telling you what the ending will be. I've said it and I'll certainly do it. I've planned it so it's as good as done. What God has spoken over your life is not an if. It's not a maybe. It's as good as done. From the very beginning, he set the end in place. He ordered your days, worked out the details, orchestrated everything that you need to come to pass at exactly the right time. When you live from the perspective that what God planned is as good as done, you won't worry about whether you're enough. You won't stress about the things you don't have.

You won't fight for victory. You'll fight from it, knowing God has already won that battle. He's already made a way. He's already seen you through. Every enemy has been defeated. Every obstacle has been overcome. Every stronghold has been broken. You may not see it yet, but if God said it, we can know deep down, it's as good as done.

In Genesis, God said to Abraham, I have made you a father of many nations. But at that time, Abraham didn't have a single child. It might have seemed like God was making a mistake. He didn't look like a father of nations. He and his wife were too old. In Abraham's eyes, it seemed impossible. But God doesn't see things the way that we do, just one day at a time. He's the God who was, who is, and who is to come. When he looks at your life, he sees it from start to finish. He doesn't just know where you are. He knows where you've been, and he knows where you're going. Abraham didn't see it yet, but when God says something, it's as good as done. It's only a matter of time before he brings it to pass. Against all odds, Abraham had a child at 100 years old and went on to become a father of nations. There are times we know God's promise, but in the moment it looks like the furthest thing from the truth. We don't see how it could ever happen. There may be a thousand reasons we think. We think. We think. We think. We think. We think a thousand reasons we think. We think. We think. We think. We look like the first thing. We

think it's impossible. But like with Abraham, we have to know what God said is already on the way. He's not debating whether or not to do it. He's not trying to make up his mind. He designed your destiny before you were ever born. He already has the right pieces in place. That dream that he put in your heart, it's as good as done. That provision you're praying for, it's as good as done. That promise that you are standing on. It's as good as done. That's the kind of God that we serve. His word is more than just text on a page. It's more certain than the sunrise. If he said it, then he'll certainly do it. We don't have to beg God, try to convince him. What he ordained is not an option. Your future is not dependent on what you can make happen, what background you come from, or what people

think. God's ways are greater than ours. It's by his power, his might and his favor that what he planned comes to pass. When we know that, it takes the pressure off. We don't have to figure it all out. It doesn't have to make sense right now. God will open the door. God will defy the odds. He said, my plans for you are good. To give you an expect. end. Your life is not subject to luck or chance. You're not going to come to some random end. God has a purpose for you and his plans are good. When the creator of the universe sets the end, there is nothing that could stand in the way. Not sickness, not a bad break, not a person who left you. We can live in confidence, knowing what God has determined is already on the way.

It can't be undone. A few years ago, we were invited to have lunch with this pretty well-known actor. And before we ate, he brought us into a room with this huge glass wall overlooking a valley. There were probably 100 index cards stuck to the glass. He explained that he was producing a movie, and each index card represented a different scene. He would study them, rearrange the order, add and remove some. certain ones until he felt the story was just right. He talked about how the schedule could change.

The destinations and locations had to be worked out. The budget needed to be met. There were thousands of details to consider. It seemed so complicated. So we asked him, how do you even know where to start? He said, oh, that's the easy part. There's this phrase in the movie industry that says, know you're ending. You start with how you want the movie to end.

You establish your final scene and then fill in the details. When you know your ending, you know what you're working toward. Your character has a goal. Your story has a purpose. He said, in fact, most movies don't even shoot in sequence. Often, you'll shoot the final scene long before the beginning. That phrase, know your ending, has always seen. stuck with me. I thought that was so fascinating. What if we knew our ending? What if we knew

there was victory ahead? What if we knew that situation that we were so worried about was going to be okay? What if we knew that struggle was only temporary? Wouldn't it change the way we live? Wouldn't we have so much peace? The truth is, long before Hollywood ever said it, God said, the end from the beginning, and my purpose will stand. He was saying, I wrote your story, and I know your ending. When God planned out your life, he started with your final scene. Your ending has already been established, and the good news is you don't end in defeat. You don't end in heartache.

You don't end in failure. Your story ends in victory. God said he always causes us to triumph. You end as more than a conqueror, as the head and not the tail, as a person of destiny. It's time that we know our ending. We don't have to go through life wondering if we've seen our best days, questioning if we have what it takes. We can live confident knowing our future has been written by an author who loves us.

You might think that sounds great and I want to believe it, but where I am right now just doesn't seem to line up. That scholarship that I really needed didn't go through. This medical report hasn't seemed to change. That person that I thought was the one, it didn't end well. God didn't say we wouldn't face challenges. He didn't say there wouldn't be difficult situations or even that we would understand at all. What he promised is that his plan and purpose would prevail. You might find yourself dealing with some very real hardships.

But that doesn't mean God isn't directing your steps. You haven't stepped out of his plan. Like in any movie, a single scene on its own doesn't make sense. There's conflict, setbacks, obstacles to overcome. If we isolate just those moments, the story doesn't. That's not what the author intended. At times it may seem like the characters even further from their goal. We might think, how could Rocky win the title?

We just saw him lose. How could Nemo make it home? He doesn't even know where he is. You're telling me they're making a Black Panther too. I thought he just got snapped away. We can't get so focused on only one scene that we lose track. that we lose track of what it's building to. We have to keep our ending in mind.

Imagine what Joseph thought, when God gave him the dream that he would rule a nation and his brothers got so jealous they sold him into slavery. That scene on its own doesn't make sense. It doesn't seem fair. He could have thought,

maybe I didn't hear from God. Maybe it wasn't meant to be. Maybe that was just my own ambition. But Joseph must have known this truth. He must have understood it was just one scene. He had to have been convinced the end was set, and then what God planned is as good as done. Even in his lowest moment, we don't read of a single instance where he worried or complained. He just kept doing the right thing, honoring God, living in integrity.

that takes faith. Will we keep a good attitude even in a scene that doesn't make sense? Will we stay passionate even when the door closes? Will we keep being our best even when we're not getting the credit? It was that kind of character that caused Joseph to get noticed

and in one moment God brought him from the prison to the palace. Through a single interaction he was put in charge of an entire nation God redeemed it all. He made up for every bad break, every unfair situation, every disappointment. To the people watching, this probably didn't make sense. How did this prisoner become a ruler?

Just like there are some scenes with trials we don't understand. God has others with blessings that we can't explain. He's written moments of favor, healing, promotion that will astound you. He has breakthrough, abundance, and freedom in your future. He's the God who declared the end from the beginning. He's already worked out ways to be good to you. Don't fall apart after a single scene. God has already determined how to get you to where you're meant to be.

You may find yourself in a scene of depression or financial trouble or divorce. Remember, that's not your ending. God wouldn't have allowed something to happen if it would keep you from your destiny. Don't roll the credits where God has written redemption. He works all things out for good. Sometimes we panic in the first act. We think we've failed too many times.

We've been hurt too badly. We didn't get off to the right start. We make mistakes and think it's over. But don't let one bad scene ruin your story. Remember who the author is. God would not have permitted something to happen if he hadn't already worked it for good. You haven't made too many mistakes.

You haven't seen your best days. That setback is not final. That struggle is not forever. God brought Joseph from the prison to the palace. He can bring you from unemployed to in charge, from single to happily married, from addicted to abundantly free. When we're convinced, we have an expected end.

We won't despair when it doesn't make sense. We'll keep a good attitude even when it's difficult. We'll keep being our best because we know what God has planned is as good as done. Before Jesus went to the cross, he planned to have the Passover meal with his disciples, what we now call the Last Supper. So he sent Peter and John ahead to make arrangements. They asked where do you want us to go? And he said, as soon as you enter the city, a man carrying us.

a jug of water will meet you. Follow him back to his house and ask the owner of the home about a guest room where we can have a meal. The owner will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. Maybe that's just me, but that sounds very specific. He didn't just give them an address.

All these details had to come together at exactly the right time. If Peter and John would have been late, they would have missed the man they were supposed to meet. If he didn't have the water jug, they wouldn't have known who to follow. If the owner hadn't been home, the room wouldn't have been prepared. They were in the right place, at the right time, with the right person, and everything worked out just as Jesus had said.

The disciples didn't have to figure out what was available. I can imagine how difficult it could have been to find a location during this busy week, they were led right to the house. They didn't have to persuade the owner, convince him to let them use the room. No, he wanted to give it to them. They didn't even have to set the table. The Bible says the floor was swept and the room was furnished. All they had to do was follow Jesus's instructions. Everything that they needed had already been prepared for them. How often do we stress about our dinner plans when God has already made us a reservation. How much do we worry about problems he already has the solution to? Like with the disciples, everything that you need has already been prepared for you.

God wasn't just directing their steps. He was directing the steps of those around them. The man with the water jug was exactly where they needed him to be. The owner of the home was waiting to be good to them. Someone had already cleaned the room. In the same way, God has lined up divine connections in your future. He has people that will go out of their way to be good to you. You don't have to convince them to like you. You don't have to try to manipulate the situation. You don't have to force the door open. They might not even know it yet, but they're expecting you. God has made the reservation. It's all taken care of. The table's already set. When I went to my freshman orientation, I was a little bit nervous.

I had been homeschooled most of my life. Now here I was in another city, at this big university. It was all new to me. I didn't know anyone yet. I was just hoping to fit in. And I believed it would work out, but that didn't stop me from feeling kind of anxious. During the first session, I was sitting in an auditorium with about 5,000 other students. and I get this text from my mom.

I read it and it says, you should find someone named Charlie. I just met his mom and he sounds like a nice guy. So I looked around the room and thought, Mom, I love you, but there are 5,000 other people here. I'm sure he sounds nice, but I am not going to be able to find someone named Charlie. That's impossible.

A few hours went by and I get another text from my mom. Did you find Charlie? I thought, I know you're just trying to help, but you can't see how crowded it is. Plus, I'm in college now. I have to play it cool. I can't just go down the row and ask everyone if their name's Charlie. Eventually, we broke out into smaller groups based on our major.

We were led into another room in a different building. It had been a long day, and the last thing on my mind was finding someone named Charlie. But about halfway through that next session, I glanced over at the folder of the guy sitting next to me. It had this sticker on the top with his name on it. And it just so happened to be the exact last name my mom texted me, comma, Charles. I could not believe it. There were thousands of people at this orientation, and we just so happened to be sitting next to each other.

I must have read that name 30 times to make sure I wasn't seeing things. At the end of the presentation, I said, I don't mean to be weird, but is your name Charlie? I think my mom met your mom. And before I could even finish, he said, wait, are you Jonathan? My mom texted me about you. I could not have found him even if I was looking. But when God brings someone across your... path, you can't miss them. I thought it was impossible, but Charlie ended up being one of the best

friends I made at school. And some people may say that was luck or a coincidence, but I know that was the same God who set the table for the disciples saving a seat for me. He lined up the right person at the right time, directed our steps, and gave me a friend when I needed one. It was all part of his plan. There were two things that I learned that day. One, that my mom is always right, and two, that we don't have to worry about figuring it all out on our own. We don't have to stress about every detail. There may be places that seem new or unfamiliar to us, but God was there long before we ever arrived. When we look back at our lives, we can recognize his plan on display. We see the moments. We were in the right place at the right time. The day the house went on

sale just as you called. The day your dream job came looking for you. The moment you met that person and fell in love. That wasn't a coincidence. That's the God who planned your days. The one who determined your end. He has a man with a water jug to lead you to your destination. He has a Charlie for you to sit by. He has a room prepared and the table swept. Why not dare to trust him? Instead of losing sleep over how it's going to work out, why not thank him that he already has the solution? Instead of living frustrated because it hasn't happened yet, why not praise him that it's as good as done? What's interesting about Joseph's story is that God not only had the right people and opportunities in place. to bring his dream to pass,

but he had the solution to every problem he would face along the way. He had already worked out every difficult situation, provided a way through every challenge. When his brothers became jealous, they threw him into a well and left him to die. It was only because they noticed a caravan of merchants on their way to Egypt that they decided to sell him instead. In those days, travel like that took time.

There were people, supplies, animals to care for. These merchants may have been on the road for weeks or even months before they ever reached Joseph, but somehow they showed up at exactly the right time. God sent the solution before Joseph even had the problem. When these merchants left home, he may not have even had the dream. let alone the obstacle, but God was already making away. He sent a caravan across a desert to rescue him. In Isaiah 65, God said, before you call, I will answer.

It's not just the dreams and opportunities that have been determined. There are solutions and deliverances that have already been arranged. God is answering prayers. We haven't even prayed yet. fighting battles we haven't even seen, taking care of things we don't even know about. If he's already worked out situations in our future, how much more can we trust that he'll take care of us today?

That he'll provide the rent money, that he'll restore that relationship, that he'll keep us safe. God is so good before we even ask, he sins the answer we need. Your caravan is on the way. I read a story about a mother who was in a car accident with her two young children as they were going across a high bridge. Another driver lost control and actually caused their car to collide with the barrier and get pushed through the guardrail.

When the emergency teams arrived halfway off the bridge swaying back and forth, they needed to cut through the metal to get this mother and her children out safely. But every time they tried, they had to stop because the car. car was so unstable. They couldn't risk them falling. The officers didn't know what to do, and they weren't even sure if there was enough time for outside help to arrive. Then this man in a Navy uniform came walking up through the stop traffic. He said, I think I might be able to help. My team and I are transporting a specialized forklift that can extend and rotate to reach specific angles, normal machinery can't. We were supposed to have already reached our destination, but we were delayed leaving this morning. The officer couldn't believe it. He asked how long it would take to get it there,

and while he was saying that, it was already pulling up. They were able to use that forklift to stabilize the car and save all three lives. It turns out there were only three forklifts like this in the entire world, and one of them happened. to be stuck in that traffic. That's the God who says before you call, I will answer. Before you have the problem, I'll send the solution. If I've said it, I'll do it. And if I've planned it, it's as good as done.

Since I'm usually at church on Sundays during football season, I record most of the Texans games to watch later when I get home. As soon as I know the game starts, my phone goes on airplane mode. I don't talk to certain people. I don't go specific places. I do whatever it takes to keep from accidentally learning the score. As soon as I get home,

I turn the game on and watch the whole thing from beginning to end. But my dad gets home a bit later than I do, and most of the time he'll sit down to watch the second half with me. The thing is, he's not as dedicated as I am. He doesn't orient his entire afternoon around dodging the score to a football game.

Most of the time, he's already looked it up and knows that we won that particular game. So when I'm getting all worked up, yelling at the TV, he's usually sitting back in his chair, relax, just taking it in. I might get frustrated at a certain call, but he doesn't even get bothered. I might be anxious when it comes down to the last play, but he's not even worried. Why? He knows the end is set. He's convinced of the outcome.

We could be down 40 points, but all he's thinking is this is going to be a good comeback. In his mind, the victory is already won. That triumph is as good as done. He's just enjoying the journey. And that's how we can live. I'm not saying we have to have the exact score and every detailed statistic, but we can know the one who does. God has declared the end from the beginning. He's authored each day.

Your future has been written. He's already orchestrated, every solution, every opportunity, every person to come in place at just the right time. Stop trying to figure it all out. Live from that place of peace. We can't focus on what God has called us to do when we're busy worrying about what he's already done. I'm asking us to live from that place of peace, to trust that he's already worked it out, that he's already won that battle, that what he planned is not uncertain, but it's as good as done. Let's pray.

Heavenly Father, thank you that you are here with us tonight. Lord, would you remind us just how in control you are, just how much the details of our lives, matter to you. God, I pray that we would begin to see our present and future situations the way you do. Lord, help us to trust you. Where there is worry, God, I pray that you would bring peace. Where there's fear, Lord, I pray that you would bring courage. Where there's uncertainty, God, I pray that you would be our guide. We ask for your strength, your wisdom, your protection this week. Thank you that you are fighting. our battles. Thank you that you are making away. Thank you in advance for what you've already

set in the days ahead of us. We love you, and it's in your name we pray. Amen. 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 can receive the latest podcast to keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you next time. More than ever before, people are turning to the church for their mental health struggles. Unfortunately, the church has largely been ill-equipped to help. That is until now, join nearly 50,000 people just like you who've enrolled in the mental health coach training program

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