Joel Osteen Podcast - Let Go And Let God | Joel Osteen

Episode Date: June 6, 2024

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Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks so much for listening to the podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. We believe you're going to have an awesome 2024, healthy, productive, and favor filled. God bless you today and enjoy the message. Well, God bless you. Always our joy to come into your homes. We love you and we know God has great things in store. And if you're ever in our area, please stop by and be a part of one of our services. I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. but thank you so much for tuning in and thank you again for coming out today.

I like to start with something funny each week and Paul told this the other day and I can tell it better than him, so let me tell you. I heard about this man, he sat down on an airplane next to a beautiful blonde. They struck up a conversation. He said, what kind of men do you like? She said, well, I like Native American men

with their high cheekbones and their golden, tan skin. Plus, I like Jewish men. They're so brilliant and so successful. And then also I like good old boys from the South with their long southern draw. What's your name? He said, my name is Geronimo Bernstein. But my friends call me Bubba. 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 letting go and letting God. It's easy in life to get so focused on what we want, our dreams, our goals, that it consumes us. We're not going to be happy until it happens. But I've found anything we have to have in order to be happy is out of balance. I know people that think I can't be happy until I find a husband. Other people think, I can't be happy until I get rid of this husband. I can't be happy till I get that bigger house. I can't be happy till I get a promotion.

No, here's the key. When our goals and dreams start to frustrate us, when we lose our peace and we're not in joy in life, that's a sure sign that we're holding on too tightly. What's the solution? You've got to release it. There's a freedom when you say, God, I'm turning it over to you. You know what I want.

You know the desires you put in me. And I'm not going to live frustrated because it hasn't happened. God, I'm trusting your timing. I know you know what's best for me. And God, even if it never happens, I'm still going to be happy and trust you. In other words, God, I want to

attend this certain college, but if I don't get accepted, I'm still going to be happy. God, I really want to get married, but if it doesn't happen, I'm still going to enjoy my life. When we have this kind of attitude, it takes away the power of the enemy. It takes away his ability to frustrate us. Not only that, by our actions, we are showing God that we trust him. We are proving to him that he is in complete control of our life. And sometimes God will ask us, to release the things that mean the most to us. That's what happened to Abraham. God asked him to put his own son on the altar.

It was the thing that meant most to him. Abraham was obedient. He got it all prepared. Just as he is about to go through with it, God said, no, Abraham, don't do it. I just wanted to see that I am the most important thing to you. Sometimes God will ask us to put a dream on the altar. In other words, we have to show

God that we don't have to have that promotion in order to be happy. Maybe we're standing on a promise that we're going to be well. But when we can say, even if I don't get well, I'm still going to have a smile on my face. I'm still going to be good to people. I'm still going to be here at church. I'm still going to be in faith. When you do that, you're doing what Abraham did. You're putting the dream on the altar. When you learn to pass the test of not having to have it my way in order to be happy. You don't have to have the bigger house in order to be happy. The problem doesn't have to turn around before you decide to enjoy your life. When you put things on the altar like that and show God that you're not going to be frustrated because it's not happening in your timetable the way you

would hope. That's when God says, all right, I know this. They trust me. I'm the most important thing to them. So let me go to work. Let me open up new doors. Let me pour out my favor. Let me give them an exceedingly abundantly above and beyond decade. I know this lady that was praying and believing for her husband to come to church with her. This went on year after year. She was very determined, very passionate. She did everything she could. She put scriptures up all over her house. She would leave her Bible open, hoping he would happen to read it. She was constantly encouraging him to come. In spite of all that, He wouldn't budge. The first few months, she was fine.

She started off great. But after a year or so, it began to frustrate her, begin to wear her down. She lost her joy. She didn't have the enthusiasm she once had. She'd come down for prayer month after month. Discouraged, upset.

Joel, I just don't know what else I can do. And one day, I told her what I'm telling you. The best thing you can do is release it. turn it over to God. You've done everything you can do. You've prayed, you believe. Now put it on the altar. Have the attitude, if he never comes, God, I'm still going to be happy. If he never changes, God, I'm still going to trust you. Just like with Abraham, you have to put the thing that means the most to you on the altar. When you let it go, when you show God, you don't have to have it in order to be happy. That's when God will go to work in amazing ways.

When you let go, you let God. And some of you today have some things you need to let go of. People that are frustrating you because they're not changing. Give it to God. Just say, God, I've done all that I can do. I am not going to live my life upset anymore. I know only you can change people, so I'm going to come back to that place of peace. And God, if it never works out, I put it on the altar.

It's up to you. There's a freedom when you release it. And I'm not saying to release your dreams and give up on your promises. No, release the frustration. Release the worry. And you come back to the place of peace, knowing that God is in complete control. That's what this lady did. She turned it over to the Lord.

She was like a different person. I would see her week after week, big smile on her face. She wasn't upset, frustrated. She was enjoying her life. She was saying by her actions, God, I know, you are still on the throne, and I don't have to have anything to happen or not happen in order for me to be happy. I've made up my mind. I'm going to be happy right where I am.

About two years after that, one Sunday morning out of the blue, her husband said, I want to go to church with you today. She nearly passed out. It was his idea. He came that Sunday, and he's been coming ever since. That was over four years ago. They hardly ever miss a service. Friends, when you let go, it allows God to go to work in amazing ways.

Maybe like this lady, you know God has put a dream in your heart. There's a promise that you're standing on, but you've done everything you can do, and now it's starting to wear you down and take all your energy, and that's all you think about, all you pray about, all you hope for. No, it's time to turn it over to God. Say, God, I want this, but I don't have to have this in order to be happy. believe it's a desire you've given me, but I'm not going to let it frustrate me. I'm not going to let it overwhelm me. God, I'm releasing it to you. I love what David said there in Psalm 31.

God, I'm trusting you. My future is in your hands. This tells me we don't have to struggle to make things happen. We don't have to worry that our God-given dreams are not going to come to pass. We can stay in peace knowing that our future is in God's hands. He controls. He controls. the whole universe. As long as we are trusting him, he will get us to where we're supposed to be. I was reading about Oprah Winfrey. When she was

28 years old, she was a television reporter in Baltimore. She read a book that talked about how a young African-American girl overcame being abused as a child. The story was told through the young girl's letters to God.

That book, The Color Purple, touched Oprah in a great way. It mirrored her own life. At that point, she had never told anyone that she had been abused as a child as well. She knew if the girl in the book could overcome and move forward in life, she could also. One day she heard that they were making a movie of this book. And deep down, she believed she was supposed to be a part of it. She wanted it so badly. Didn't matter if she was going to be on the crew or have an actual speaking part. She was determined to be involved. One day, a producer saw her on television and invited her to come audition. She went

and auditioned, gave it her best, poured her heart and soul into it, but week after week went by. She didn't hear anything month after month. She was hoping, praying, thinking about it, dreaming about it, night and day. She got very discouraged. She was so close, but now it looked like it wasn't going to happen. And she convinced herself it was because, she was too heavy. She got real down on herself, decided to go away to a health retreat in another stay, determined to lose 50 pounds. At that retreat, in her room alone, she began to realize she had become consumed by this dream. She said, this is what I wanted more than anything in life to be a part of that movie. And all of her energy and focus was put on that. And now it hadn't happened.

One morning she was out running around the track. It was cold, rainy, dreary. All by herself, she began to sing, I surrender all. I surrender all. All to Jesus, I surrender. I surrender all. At that moment, she let it go. She was saying, God, I don't have to be in this movie in order to be happy.

God, you are in control of my life, not my will, but let yours be done. She released it. She put the dream on the altar. A few days later, while she was still at the retreat, she received a phone call. It was Stephen Spielberg. He said, hey, I hear you're at a fat farm trying to lose weight.

She said, I prefer calling at a health retreat. They both laughed, and he said, here's the deal. You've got the part, but if you lose one pound, you're out. Oprah said she packed her bags, left that place, and headed to the first dairy Queen, she could find. But friends,

something happens when you put a dream on the altar. It's very powerful to say, God, I'm giving you control of my life. I'm going to let you do it your way, in your timetable. God, you know my dreams. You know the things I'd like to see

happen, the situations I'd like to see turn around. God, I'm going to do my best. I'm going to pray. I'm going to believe. I'm going to stay in faith. But I'm not going to be frustrated if it doesn't happen my way. God, I don't have to have my plans to work out in order for me to be happy. I know you know what's best for me. That's what it means to let go and let God. I remember one time a few years after Victoria and I were married, we found this house that we

really wanted to buy. It was on a beautiful corner lot and it had nice trees and swimming pool in the backyard. We just knew that was supposed to be our house. We just knew that was supposed to be our house. We was. We made the people a very good offer, not far off of the asking price. Week after week went by and we didn't hear anything. The house wasn't occupied, so every day, Victoria and I would go out to that house and we would march around it and pray and believe, quote scripture, sing, shout, everything we could think of. We wanted that house so bad.

Finally, the realtor called back and said, they did not accept our offer. It was too low. So we raised our offer. Now we were just a few thousand dollars from what they wanted. Again, week after week went by. One point, Victoria and I went on a vacation that we already had planned. But the whole time, all we could do was think about that house. We were consumed by it so uptight, so stressed out,

not even enjoying our vacation too caught up in heaven to have that house. One day, when I was so stressed about it, I heard God say something to me, not out loud but down in here. He said, Joel, do you still want the house even if I have something better in store? Right then and there, I did what I'm asking you to do. I put that house on the altar. I said, God, we don't have to have this house to be happy. We know, you know what's best for us, and we're not going to live another minute,

frustrated and upset, missing the joy of this moment, all because something has not turned out the way we'd like. We released it. We said, God, not our will, but let yours be done. That property was sold to somebody else eventually. But here's what I've learned. When a door closes, when it seems like a disappointment, really, that's just another step in the process of God taking us to our divine destiny. God takes us through detours.

It doesn't always lead us the easiest way, the way we expect. There's a tremendous freedom when you give up control. and you don't get frustrated because it's not happening on your timetable. And you don't get discouraged because a door closed and your plans didn't work out. Much better attitude is to say, God, I'm trusting you. My future is in your hands. I'm going to hold on to my dreams. I'm going to hold on to my promises, but I'm going to let go with a frustration.

I'm not going to get aggravated because it's not happening on my timetable. I'm not going to fight against everything that doesn't. doesn't work out. God, I believe you are directing every one of my steps. A few months later, we bought a different home that we ended up selling for twice what we paid for. Friends,

God knows what he's doing. He knows what's best for us. But some of you today are frustrated because a door closed, or you're stressed out trying to make a dream come to pass, discouraged because it's taken longer than you thought. The scripture talks about

how we have to put on our shoes of peace. That means come back to that place of rest. God is in complete control. There is nothing in your life right now that has to keep you from being happy. If you will have the right perspective knowing that God is directing your steps

and be willing to put dreams on the altar, you're not just releasing the situation, you're releasing your faith. Then when it's your due season, when God's ready to open a door, when he's ready to bring a dream to pass, let me tell you, no person, no sickness, no obstacle, all the forces of darkness will not be able to stop that from happening. This is what my father had to do.

He was the first one in his family to give his life to the Lord. His parents and relatives were good people. They were cotton farmers, but they knew nothing about God. They didn't go to church. He didn't have any kind of spiritual upbringing. At the age of 17, my father gave his life to Christ and went on to become a successful pastor. Anytime he was back in town at his parents' home, he would just naturally talk to them about the Lord. His mother and most of his brothers and sisters gave their life to Christ.

But his father was a different story. He wouldn't have anything to do with it. He said, John, I don't need any of this religious stuff. When I'm dead, I'm dead like a dog. Just roll me over in the ditch. My father said, no, Daddy, that's not true. You've got to live on somewhere throughout all eternity. You need to know the Lord.

It'd go in one ear and out the other. My father was so concerned, this was his mission. Anytime he saw his dad, he would light into him, start preaching up a storm trying to make him get saved. He'd end up leaving, frustrated, disappointed. After doing that for many years, my father decided to do what I'm asking us to do today. He said, God, I'm turning this over to you.

I love my dad more than anything. I want him to know you. But God, I'm putting this situation on the altar. I can't make him get saved. I can't make him change. Only you can. Now, he didn't give up on the promise that our whole house would serve the Lord.

He didn't quit praying for him. He didn't quit believing. But he did stop worrying. He stopped letting it frustrate him. He stopped allowing that to steal his joy and keep him from being happy right where he was. Year after year went by and my father didn't see anything happening. He didn't get discouraged. He just kept thanking God that he was working behind the scenes.

One day, my father was invited to be a guest minister at a church in his parents' hometown. And that Sunday morning, as he got up to speak, he noticed that his father walked in the back and sat on the very last row. First time he had ever saw his father in church. He couldn't believe it. Right in the middle of his message, his father got up, started walking down the center aisle toward the platform.

He got to the altar area, but he didn't stop. He came right up on the platform and stood next to my father. Interrupted his whole sermon. He said, John, I am finishing today what I started over 30 years ago. I want to give my life to

Christ. In front of that congregation, my father led his father to the Lord. It was a dream come true. After the service, my father said, Daddy, what did you mean? You were finishing what you started years ago. He told how over 30 years ago he was out in the woods alone and he got caught in a huge snowstorm. He couldn't see anything. He lost all sense of direction. Night came in. It got dark. He knew he couldn't survive out there all night. He said, John, I prayed for the first time. I said, God,

if you will let me live, I will serve you. Not long after that, he fell asleep right there out in the snow in the middle of the woods. He said, John, I woke up the next morning and I was as warm as toast. God had spared my life. I've been putting it off

all these years, but today I'm keeping my promise to God. I'm going to do what I told him. I'm going to do what I told him I would do. My grandfather went on to join that church. One day they asked him to become an usher. You would have

thought they asked him to become the President of the United States. He was so proud. He only had one suit. They were very poor people, but he wore that suit every Sunday. Never missed a service. Many years later, when my grandfather went to be with the Lord, we found

his suit. Both pockets were stuffed full of gospel tracks. that he would pass out to people everywhere he went. Friends, God is in control. He knows how to get people's attention. We don't have to worry. We don't have to live frustrated. When you release it to him, it allows him to work in amazing ways.

I love the fact that God is always working behind the scenes. Just because you don't see anything happening doesn't mean God is not working. You don't know that person you're so worried about. God may have already planted a seed. that's about to take root. Like my grandfather, it's just a matter of time before they turn their life around. When you release it to God,

when you put a dream on the altar, you're saying, God, I trust you. I know you've got it all figured out. I don't see a way, but God, I know you have a way. I love the scripture in 1st Peter. It says, if you put your trust in the Lord, you will never be disappointed. What a powerful promise.

Of course, that doesn't mean that, We'll never have temporary disappointments. We all do. But this is saying we will never be permanently disappointed. Somewhere down the road, God will cause it to all work out for our good. But some of you today, like my father, you're allowing another person to frustrate you. You're trying to make them change, trying to convince them to see it your way, and they won't do it. And it's aggravating you.

It's stealing your joy. You've got to turn that over to the Lord. He is in complete control. And really, life is too short to go through it, waiting to be happy. As soon as my father knows the Lord, soon as I get that promotion I deserve, soon as I get married, make a decision to enjoy your life right now. You don't need those other things to be happy. You can be happy right where you are.

And I know sometimes it's difficult to put things on the altar. It takes maturity to say, God, this is the thing that I want the most, but not my will, yours be done. I read a story about this young man that was training for the 1924 Olympics. They were to be held in Paris, France. He was a young American that was extremely skilled in canoeing. He could ride the rapids like no one else. He'd won many competitions before. He was the heavy favorite for the gold medal. That was his dream, an Olympic gold. But it just so happened, his wife became pregnant, and her due date was exactly during the Olympics. In those days, of course, they didn't have travel like we do today.

To go back and forth across the ocean would take several months' time. He made a decision that he was not going to miss the birth of his first son. Much to the surprise of his coaches and trainers, he informed them he would not be competing in the Olympic Games. That news sent shockwaves throughout the sports world. here he had trained tirelessly for many years. He was the best in his field. As far as his career was concerned,

this was the most important thing to him, an Olympic gold. But he did what we're talking about. He put it on the altar. He said, God, I don't have to have that medal in order to be happy. Seemed like a great disappointment. His son was born, and through the years

he poured into that young man. Like his father, the son was extremely gifted in white water rafting as well. They spent year after year practicing together training, getting better and better. 1948, the son qualified for the Olympic

Games in Helsinki, Finland. He went over and competed. Few days later, here in America, the dad got a telegraph. It said, Dear Dad, thanks for waiting around for me to be born. I'm coming home 24 years later with your gold medal.

His son had won the gold. He came home and gave it to his father. Now the father had the gold medal he'd always dreamed about, but it even meant more to him because it came from his son whom he loved so much. Friends, God has a way of working everything out. When you let it go, it doesn't mean it's not going to happen. You're simply saying, God, I'm going to let you do it your way. I know you know what's best for me. And if I put my trust in you, I know I may have some temporary disappointments, may have some temporary disappointments, may have some temporary setbacks, but I know I will never be permanently disappointed. Somewhere down the road, God,

you'll cause it to work out for my good. Just like my father, years later, he saw his father come to know the Lord. Just like with Victoria and me and that house that we wanted so badly, we were disappointed. But can I tell you, today we're not disappointed. God gave us a much greater investment. Just like the lady was so disappointed, her husband wouldn't come to church. Today she's not disappointed. He's here every week. What am I saying? God has a way. You don't have to figure it all out. You've just got to turn it over to him. Release the struggle. Release the frustration. Listen, anything you have to have to be happy, the enemy will always use that against you. But when you can say, God, I let it go. If it works out great, if it doesn't, no big deal.

I know you have something better in store. And I've made up my mind. I'm going to enjoy my life right where I am. When you can put things on the altar like that, you'll see God go to work in amazing ways. I want you to go out of here today freer, lighter. Some of you are struggling so hard trying to make a dream come to pass, trying to make somebody change, trying to force them to live right. You're not going to be happy if unless it happens your way on your timetable. Let me give you a news flash. You're not God.

That's not your job. Take the pressure off. God is running the universe. He's working behind the scenes. And listen, God already knows what you want. He knows your goals. He knows your dreams. He's the one that gave them to you. Now trust him with your life. Your future is in good hands. Not all state, but Almighty God. He knows what's best for you. He's already planned out your days for good. He already has a life of victory in your future. If you will learn to let you, let you know, go and let God. If you'll give him control of your life, he will lead you and guide you down your best path. He'll take your setbacks and turn them into comebacks. You won't have to

struggle to make things happen. He'll give you the desires of your heart. And I believe and declare you'll become everything he's created you to be. You'll have everything he intended for you to have. And you will see an Ephesians 320 decade, a decade of exceedingly abundantly above and beyond, favor, blessing, health, happiness, and victory. Come on, do you receive that today? We never like to close our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins.

Come into my heart, I make you, my Lord and Savior. Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. get in a good Bible-based church, keep God first place. He'll take your places that you've never dreamed out. God has put a specific dream in your heart. Maybe it's a dream for a better career, a blessing that enables you to bless others, to be in a healthy, loving relationship, to launch your own business or ministry endeavor. We all have dreams, but sometimes setbacks and opposition can rob us of our dreams. So how do you make your dreams a reality? One way you know it's a God-given dream

is you can't accomplish it on your own. We never thought we'd be having church in a former basketball arena, but this is what can happen when you take the limits off of God. When you believe what God put in your heart, that's when he steps in and makes ways where you never saw ways.

I'd love to send you my newest book. It's time to dream again. It'll help you to hold on to what God promised and not get discouraged by how. impossible it looks or how long it's taking. You are closer than you think. God's working behind the scenes right now. Stay in faith. You're going to see the greatness of God bring your dreams to pass. As our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount to the ministry this month, Joel and Victoria would like to send you this dream-releasing, life-affirming book. It's time to dream

again. You might sense that your dreams have been buried. But with this book, you'll see that they are actually a hidden treasure, just waiting to be uncovered and come to life. God's plan for you is significant. His dreams for you are beyond what you could imagine. Don't wait another day. It's time to dream again. This book will help you gain a fresh perspective for your dreams and to believe for everything God has put in your heart. Victoria and I pray for you and your family every day. Thank you so much for your prayer and support. Your generosity is making a difference around the world. Remember, you can watch the services live online every Sunday, download the daily podcast or our YouTube channel, listen on SiriusXM. We will keep you

encouraged and inspired. But until we meet again, may the Lord bless you and keep you. Be sure to request your copy of It's Time to Dream Again. Today, visit Joelosteen.com or call 888-567, Joel.