Joel Osteen Podcast - Just The Opposite | Joel Osteen

Episode Date: February 9, 2025

It's not going to turn out the way the enemy is telling you, it’s going to be just the opposite. Do not be afraid. There are more for us than there are against us. Get in agreement with God and you���ll see these supernatural turnarounds.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.God wants to give you a fresh vision for the abundant life He's called you to! Joel's brand-new book will show you how to stop living an ordinary life and start trusting God for His promises. Request our February offer and dare to Pray Bold, https://bit.ly/4aDY5Kl!   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.

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. God bless you. It's great to be with you today. I hope you'll stay connected with us during the week through our daily podcast, our YouTube channel, social media, and you can come visit us in person. We'd love to have you be a part of one of our services.

I like to start with something funny, and I heard about this minister that died. He was standing at the pearly gates, and the man in front of him was dressed in a loud t-shirt, sunglasses, and blue jeans, and St. Peter asked his name. He said, I'm Joe Cohen, taxi cab driver, New York City. Peter checked his list and handed him a gold staff and a silk road, said, welcome to heaven. The minister stepped up and said, I'm Reverend Joseph Snow, pastor of St. Mary's Cathedral. Peter checked his list, handed him a wooden staff in Cottonrow. He said, wait a minute, that couldn't be right.

The taxi cab driver got a gold staff, and this is all I get. Peter said, sir, up here we work by results. When you preached, people slept, but when he drove, people prayed. All right, y'all, 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 just the opposite. We all have situations that don't look like they're going to work out. Doors have closed on a dream. Medical report's not good. A relationship didn't make it. All the circumstances say that we'll always be lonelier, always addicted, always have a child that's off course. But the scripture says God turns mourning into dancing. He turns sorrow into joy. God specializes in turning things around, turning sickness into health, turning addictions into freedom, turning lack into abundance. He has divine reversals where what looks one way turns out just the opposite. My mother should have died,

with terminal cancer, but just the opposite happened. She's lived 44 years past that diagnosis. The church should have gone down when my father died. That's what all the critics said, but just the opposite happened. We've gone to levels. We've never dreamed. That addiction should have limited your life like it did your relatives, but just the opposite happened. God set you free and now you're healthy and home. We see this all through the scripture. We see this. All through the scripture, Goliath should have defeated David. He was twice his size, but just the opposite happened. David defied the odds, brought down a giant.

The three teenagers should have burned up in the fiery furnace. Just the opposite happened. They came out without the smell of smoke. Moses should have been stuck in the desert after he made that mistake and missed his destiny, but just the opposite happened. God came in a burning bush and gave him another chance. He went on to deliver the Israelites and become a hero of faith. You may have situations where all the facts say it's not going to work out.

Your child's never going to get back on course and those people at work will always limit you. Can I encourage you the same God that delivered the saints of all is going to turn things around in your life? You're going to have some of these just the opposite moments. I thought I'd be addicted, but now I'm free. I thought I was stuck, but God catapulted me a hand. I thought I'd always be lonely, but God sent someone better than I could imagine. It's going to be just the opposite of what it looked like. See, the scripture says the enemy is a liar and there is no truth in him.

When he whispers his lies that you've reached your limits and this problem is too big, the key is to take just the opposite of what he's telling you. You'll never get well. You saw the report. Thank you. Now I know the truth. I will live and not die. God's restoring health back into me. We all always struggle. Not have enough. That's just the family you come from. Thank you. Now I know abundance is coming. I will lend and not borrow. Well, your child's always going to be off course. Get into trouble. Cause your problems. Thank you. Now I know, as for me in my house, we will serve the Lord. See, the battle is taking place in our minds. The enemy cannot tell the truth, but if he can deceive you into believe in his lies,

then he can keep you from the great things God has in store. There was a young woman in the scripture named Esther. She was an orphan being raised by her uncle Mordecai. When the king of Persia was searching for a new queen, she was picked to be one of the candidates in this beauty pageant. Out of the thousands of girls, she was chosen as the next queen. Well, nobody knew that she was Jewish. Mordecai told her to keep that a secret.

Everything was going great until a man named Haman got upset with Mordecai. Haman was the prime minister second in command to the king. When he walked by, he expected everyone to bow down and show their respect. But Mordecai wouldn't do it. He only bowed to Jehovah. This made Haman so angry he decided to do something about it. He found out that Mordecai was a Jew. And to get back at him, he thought, I'm not going to just get rid of you.

I'm going to get rid of your whole nationality. He went to the king and said, hey, there's a group of people that are causing trouble. They want to obey your decrees. The best thing we could do is annihilate them, not let them live. Sounded reasonable to the king. He didn't want to be overthrown. so, he agreed to Haman's request. He took off the ring on his finger and gave it to Haman, represented his authority. He said, do as you have said, with these people. So Haman wrote an official

decree that on March the 7th, one year from then, all the Jews would be killed. Their property would be given to whoever killed them. He sent the fastest messengers to deliver this decree throughout the land. When the Jewish people received it, there was great weeping and wailing. The scripture says, many stayed in bed in sackcloth and ashes, so depressed.

Well, someone told Esther that Mordecai was in distress, crying at the city gates. She had an assistant to see what was wrong. Mordecai sent back a copy of the decree and explained what Haman was up to and how she must go to the king, and tell him what was happening to plead for the life of her people. You couldn't go to the king unless he called for you.

She hadn't seen him in a month. She told Haman, gather all the Jews for three days fast and pray, and I'll go see the king. She put her life on the line and went to see the king. The king was very gracious. He said, Esther, what do you want? I'll give you anything up to half of my kingdom. She didn't have the courage to tell him right then. She said, I would like for you and Haman to come to a banquet that I prepared.

The king agreed. Haman got the word, felt so honored. At the banquet, the king said, now Esther, tell me, what do you want? She still couldn't find the courage to do it yet. She said, King, if you're pleased with me, I want you to come to a banquet with Haman tomorrow night. Then I'll tell you what this is all about. Verse 9 says what a happy man Heyman was as he left that banquet.

He went out of there on cloud nine, having dinner with royalty, going to do it again tomorrow night. He bragged to his friends about how honored he was, all the authority he had been given. Sometimes it looks like your enemies are being promoted. They're being honored when you know they're plotting evil. They're doing the wrong thing. Don't worry. Their time is coming. God is your vindicator.

You don't have to live upset and try to pay people back. He's going to take care of those who are plotting against you. They went to the banquet the next night. Heyman's sitting there so proud. The king said it again. Esther, what can I do for you? She said, Your Majesty, this is my request that you would spare my life and the life of my people.

The king was appalled. He said, who would dare try to harm you? you, she pointed at Haman and said, he has written a decree to annihilate me and all my people. The scripture says Haman grew pale with fright, from honor to dishonor in one second. The king jumped up in such a rage, so upset, he ran out to the courtyard. Haman came over and fell on Esther and began to beg for his life. About that time, the king came back in and saw him all over. Esther. He said, are you even going to assault my wife right in front of my eyes?

An assistant came over and said, Haman has set up some gallows outside to hang Mordecai on. The king said, great, use those gallows to hang Haman. The psalmist said the trap the enemy sets for you, they will fall in themselves. Chapter 8 says, that same day, the king gave the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews, to Esther. Then the king called up Mordecai. He took the signet ring, the one he removed from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. Said from now on, you're going to be in charge. It looked like Esther and Mordecai would be wiped out, but it was just the opposite. Looked like Haman had the upper hand.

All this power, the ring, people bowing down, but just the opposite happened. Now Mordecai has the ring. Now Esther owns his estate. You may have situations like them that seem like they could never resolve people against you that have more authority and circumstances that seem bigger, the sickness, the addiction, but you don't know what God is up to. He has divine reversals, supernatural turnarounds where you suddenly go from the back to the front, from being overlooked to being in charge, from weeping to rejoicing, from wondering how it could work out, to say, and look what the Lord has done. Esther said in verse 5, King, there's one more request. Please send out a decree reversing Haman's order

to destroy the Jews. The king said, Esther, you can write whatever you want. Mordecai has the ring to seal it with my authority. They wrote a decree saying that anyone that tried to harm God's people would be killed. Chapter 9 says, on March the 7th, the day the enemy of the Jews had planned to destroy them, just the opposite happened. No one was harmed. One translation says, the tables turned.

But imagine what the enemy had whispered to them. There's a decree. Your days are numbered. It's official. The king sealed it. But what the enemy doesn't want you to know is he doesn't have the final say. He may plan your demise, bring people against you, circumstances that look impossible, but what he means for harm, God knows how to turn to your advantage.

God has these divine reversals where it turns out just the opposite of what it looks like. Don't be discouraged by the circumstances. You may have a haman in your life, an obstacle that's bigger and stronger, the medical report, an addiction, the debt, the anxiety. Seems like it has the upper hand. You're at the mercy of what's against you. But God sees what you're going through. He knows who did you wrong, how you don't see away, those lonely nights.

Like with Esther, your time is coming. There will be a day where the tables will turn. Divine reversals. Your health turns around. You can't explain it. It's the hand of God. Your business takes off. Or that dark cloud lists off of you.

Lies told you that you'd always be depressed, but it's just the opposite. You're full of joy. You've got your passion back. Relationship didn't work out. Someone walked away and lies will tell you, just live with a broken heart. You'll never be happy again.

Can I encourage you? It's going to be just the opposite. You will love again. You will laugh again. you will dream again. You're going to meet someone so amazing. You don't think about what you've lost. Or how about the lies that whisper, you've reached your limits, you've seen your best days, quit waiting for things to improve? No, the truth is, you haven't seen, heard, or imagine what's coming your way. There's uncommon favor, uncommon opportunity, uncommon influence that will catapult you ahead.

you're going to look back and say with Mordecai, it was just the opposite of what it looked like. Haman said we were doomed. The truth is he was doomed and we lived on. Haman said I was stuck, had no authority, but God turned the tables and gave me what Haman had, the authority, the king's ring, the influence. Are there situations that you don't see how they can work out, your health, relationship, your finances? instead of believing in those lies and letting all the negative play, try a different approach.

Lord, I thank you that you have divine reversals come in my way, that you will do just the opposite of what it looks like. Father, turn this sickness into health, turn this morning into dancing, turn this lack into abundance, Lord, turn my child from poor decisions to his purpose and destiny, turn my family from strife and division to peace and harmony. Turn these ashes into beauty. Turn my pain into purpose. Get an agreement with God and you'll see some supernatural turnarounds. Not where he just brings you out and things resolved, but it's going to be just the opposite. It's far better, something that you never imagine. That's what happened for Esther and Mordecai. There was economic

reversal. All of Haman's estate was given to Esther. She didn't ask for that, but when God turns the tables, he's going to exceed your expectations. The scripture says the wealth of the ungodly will be transferred to the righteous. The good news is you're the righteous. Part of the just the opposite is going to be a transfer of resources, property, opportunities that you didn't see coming. Mordecai saw leadership reversal. He had no authority, no influence. He had to stay outside the palace. Nobody paid him much attention. But Mordecai was a man that honored God and lived a life of excellence and integrity. He took his niece, Esther, in as a little girl, made sure she felt valuable and loved. He overheard a plot to assassinate the king. He secretly sent word to keep it from happening. He didn't have to do that, but he was a man of honor. He did the right thing when he wasn't getting the credit. Nobody was thanking him. It looked like he would stay in the background, just watch others be promoted. But when you stay faithful, you keep being your best each day, serving, giving, loving, nobody may notice right now.

But there will come a time where God turns the tables, takes you from the background to the foreground. from working at that company to owning your own company, from always serving others to having others serve you, where you can rise higher, have greater influence, honor, and respect. The Israelites saw emotional reversal. When they got the bad news, there was all this weeping and wailing, so distraught that they couldn't get out of bed. But when the king reversed this decree,

verse 16 says, there was great joy and gladness among the Jews. In every province there was feasting and celebrating. Few months earlier, there was sorrow and weeping. But look at how God can turn things. Now they're laughing, joyful, celebrating with their family. You may be in a time of sadness today, dealing with things you didn't see coming, a breakup, loss of a loved one, a dream seems like it's died. The scripture says God is close to the brokenhearted. When you're going through these seasons of sadness and disappointment, God is right there with you.

It says in Psalms, he even collects all your tears. The enemy will whisper, you never be happy again. What happened to you? You're a victim. No, weeping may endure for a night, but joy is coming in the morning. Just like God did for Esther, you're going to laugh again. It's not going to turn out.

the way the enemy is telling you, it's going to be just the opposite. Morning turned to dancing. Sorrow turned to joy, sadness, turned to gladness. Verse 9 says, the king reversed his decree. They saw legal reversal, an official decree. The law had been passed, but God is not limited by natural laws. God can change a law to get you to your destiny. There may be a decree, a report that says this sickness is going to end your life. You don't have the education to reach your dreams. You'll be defined by that loss. The good news is, God has an override button. He knows how to supersede laws and change things that look unchangeable. The scripture says, God can turn the heart of a king. We may not be able to change people's minds, but God can.

some friends of mine have a successful business and for many years everything was going great but one of their accountants made some mistakes on filing their taxes the IRS said they owed them a hundred thousand dollars they didn't have those funds and this could put them out of business their faithful members here at lakewood they know how to pray believe and declare but all the facts said they weren't going to make it thoughts whispered you're going to go bankrupt After all these years of hard work, you're going to end up with nothing. They met with the representative at the IRS and asked if they could have some kind of payment plan to pay it off over time. But this woman was very harsh and not understanding.

She demanded that they pay it all in full right then, or there were going to be even more legal penalties. They left that day so discouraged, not knowing what to do. But the scripture says, when the enemy comes in like a flood, God will raise up a barrier. You're not fighting by yourself. God won't let you get in a problem that he can't bring you out of. They didn't see a way,

but they kept thanking God that he would make a way. They went back 30 days later for the final judgment. They walked into the lady's office and sat down, waited for her to come in. In a few minutes, another woman walked in

that they had never seen. They were surprised and asked where their representative was. She said she had moved to another state, and now she was in charge of their account. This woman could not have been more opposite than the other woman, kind, understanding, looking for options. She took their material and said, let me go study this and see if I can find a solution. She came back in a half hour and said, I don't agree with what the other woman found.

I don't think you filed your taxes wrong. you don't owe us $100,000. She said, I'll make a deal with you. If you'll write a check for $100 today, this will be settled right now. They didn't see that coming. It was just the opposite of what they thought. God knows how to reverse things, how to turn the tables and move the wrong people out of your way. Put the right people.

People that'll be for you. People that will go out of their way to help you. that want you to succeed. Like my friends, you may be in a situation doesn't look like it's going to work out. Thoughts are telling you all the worst-case scenarios. You could live negative, dreading things. But can I encourage you,

God has some of these just the opposite moments lined up for you. Things you never saw coming. Divine reversals. You couldn't make it happen. God turned the tables. God reversed the decree. God changed the people's.

mind. Second King Chapter 6, the king of Aram had sent hundreds of troops and chariots to capture Elijah. They snuck up at night and surrounded his house. The next morning, Elisha's assistant went out and

when he saw the army surrounding them, he was terrified. He ran back, woke up, Elisha up, said there's a huge army surrounding us. We're trapped. We have no way to get out. Elijah said, don't worry. there are more for us than there are against us. He said, Elisha, are you still dreaming? It's just you and me.

There are thousands of them. Elijah prayed, Lord, open his eyes so he can see. He went back and to look again. This time, he saw hundreds of thousands of the heavenly armies, these warring angels and these chariots of fire surrounding the other army. It looked like he and Elisha were surrounded, the truth is, it was just the opposite. The other army was surrounded. It may feel like you're surrounded today. What you're up against seems bigger, stronger, but if you could see into this unseen realm, it's just the opposite. God is surrounding what's surrounding you. Feels like that cancer has you surrounded. It's just the opposite. God has the cancer surrounding. seems like that debt, lack, can't get ahead, has you surrounded.

Have a new perspective. The Most High God is surrounding everything that's surrounding you. January of 1999, my father went to be with the Lord and I started pastoring. There's a lot of momentum. The church was growing. I announced that October that on the first Sunday of 2000, we were going to start an additional Sunday morning service. service at 8.30. I'd prayed about it and believed it was the right thing. But all these thoughts

started bombarding my mind telling me nobody's going to show up, Joel. It's going to be a big mistake. You better change it while you have time. The enemy cannot tell the truth. You have to take the opposite of what he's saying. But I didn't know that back then. And I was so worried and so stressed. one night, a few days before the first Sunday, I had a dream. Better description was a nightmare. In this dream, it was that first Sunday of our new service. I saw myself walking into the auditorium to go up to speak, but nobody was there. Not Victoria, not my mother, not an usher, not one choir member. It was completely empty. I woke up in a cold sweat. Thoughts whisper, you better cancel it. You still have a few days. I didn't tell anyone about the dream. Later that day, I saw my mother and thought,

maybe she'll encourage me. I said, mother, are you going to the new early service this Sunday? She said, you mean it starts this week? I thought, dear God, we've been announcing it for six months and she doesn't even know it's happening. I said, yes, it starts and you need to bring your friends, enemies, neighbors, coworkers, relatives. First Sunday of 2000 came and I left early to get there so nervous. I'll never forget driving up to the building. One parking lot was already full. I got inside and 5,000 people had shown up. The enemy had shown me an empty auditorium. It was just the opposite. The place was filled with people. My mother even made it. Some of the things that you're worrying about, you're thinking they could never work out.

You're playing the worst case scenario. God is saying, it's going to be just the opposite. Not defeat, but victory. Not stuck where you are, but catapulted to a new level. Not broke, but abundant. Not depressed, but great joy. Not lonely, but an awesome spouse. Now, all these lies, the enemy is whispering, instead of letting them discourage you, start taking just the opposite. Well, Joel, you've done pretty well, but you've gone as far as you can. No thanks. Our latter days will be better than former days. This will be a year of uncommon favor, uncommon opportunity. You have to get in agreement with God.

If you will do this, I believe and declare you're about to see some divine reversals. Supernatural turnarounds in your health, your finances, your children. Like Esther and Mordecai, it's going to be just the opposite. Bigger, better, more rewarding than you ever imagine. I declare it in the name of Jesus. If you receive it, can you say amen?

I'd like to give 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. If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. We'd love to send you some free information on your new walk with the Lord. You can text the number on the screen or go to the website.

But I hope you'll get into a good Bible-based church and keep God first place. When was the last time you asked God to do something that seemed impossible? If you only pray small, ordinary prayers, you'll live a small, ordinary life. I have a new book called Pray Bold. I'll challenge you to stretch your faith

and believe for the big things God puts in your heart. Victoria and I used to have season tickets to watch the Rockets play basketball here. We never dreamed it could be ours. When they moved out, somehow we had the faith to pray a bold prayer. God made things happen that we could never make happen. It's the same for you. Who knows what God will do in your life if you'll dare to pray bold.

Ask him for your dreams. Ask for your healing. Ask for your freedom. That's when God will show up and do more than you could ever imagine. As our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount this month, we would like to send you a copy of Joel's brand new book. Pray bold, dare to ask, and believe big. Joel shares that when we pray, we can tap into God's creative, awesome power, something bigger than we have ever imagined.

God doesn't want us to just pray in our comfort zones. No, God loves when we pray big, believe big, expect him to do the unexpected. There are inspiring stories from the Bible, from history, and personal testimonies of people who dare to do. to believe God in extraordinary ways. You'll learn how to practically expand your prayers and watch your life move from the common to the extraordinary, from less than to overflowing. Be sure to request your copy of Pray Bold Today. Visit joelowstein.com or call us toll-free.

God has put dreams in your heart and things he's whispered in the night that seem impossible. But as you pray these bold prayers, you're going to see the goodness of God in ways you're going to be. you've never seen. Victoria and I believe, and you're going to have a great 2025. We pray for you and your family every day for God's very best. We want to thank you for your prayer and your support. You're impacting people all over the world. Be sure to request your copy of Pray Bold today. Visit joelowstein.com or call us toll free. Finally, elevate your personal time with God by requesting

the My Time with God collection. This beautiful collection contains the pray bold new release, plus the new living translation, one-year chronological study Bible, and a beautiful glass mug and throw blanket based around the inspiring scripture from Psalm 4610. Be still and know that I am God. You can learn more about this unique new gift collection by calling 888-567 Joel or logging on to joelosteen.com today. Remember, you can watch the services online every Sunday morning. Download our daily podcast, listen on Sirius XM, watch on YouTube, and now the new Joel Osteen Network streaming on television 24 hours a day.

If you've never been to Lakewood, we have a great opportunity. We call it Homecoming Weekend. We'd love to meet you and your family. You can see the building and attend one of the services. It's a great time to be a part of the Lakewood family. Looking forward to seeing you, homecoming weekend.