Joel Osteen Podcast - Letting God Be God In Your Life | Joel Osteen

Episode Date: October 25, 2024

You don’t have to figure everything out on your own. If you’ll trust God even when things don’t make sense, He will work things out in your favor. 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.Good things are en route to you! But if you’re holding on to the old, there’s no room for the new. Our October offer will teach you how to make room for God to bless you in ways you never thought possible! It's time to Empty Out the Negative and be filled with blessings! https://bit.ly/3XE45Nf 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 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. God bless you. It is always a joy to come into your homes. We love you. We always come with good news knowing that God is on your side. If you're ever in our area, I hope you'll stop by and be a part of one of our services. These are the finest people in all of Houston. right here at Lakewood. So come out and be a part of one of our services sometime. Thanks for tuning in. I like to start with something funny each week. And I heard about this airplane that was about to crash. There were four passengers, but only three parachutes. The first passenger said,

I'm a leading heart surgeon. My patients need me. He grabbed the first parachute and jumped. The second passenger said, I'm a rocket scientist. One of the smartest men in the world. My country needs me. He took the second parachute and jumped. The third passenger was Pope John Paul. He said to the fourth passenger a 10-year-old Boy Scout, son, I'm old and frail. You take the last parachute. The Boy Scout said, that's okay, sir.

There are still two parachutes left. The world's smartest man just jumped out with my backpack. Hold up your Bibles. Let's say it like we 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. I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, ever-living seed of the Word of God. I'll never be the same, never, never, never, never, I'll never be the same in Jesus' name. God bless you. I want to talk to you today about letting God be God. God in your life. So many times we try to figure everything out. We try to solve everything in our own strength. And if we're not careful, we'll put God in a box and we'll tell them how to do it and when to do it

and why should you do it this way and not this other way. All we're doing is limiting God from working in the way he wants. We've got to learn to just turn it over to him and believe that he is in control, believe that he knows what's best for us, and at the exact right time that it'll change things in our favor. But when we're constantly reasoning and wondering why this happened and trying to figure this out over here, it only brings confusion, brings frustration, and we end up living stressed out. And I know people, their mind is never at rest. It's constantly going 90 to nothing.

They're not going to be happy unless they've got everything figured out. But the problem with this is sometimes we face situations in life where there is no logical solution. Sometimes in the natural, we can't see a way out. And if we don't learn to turn it over to God and just trust him, then it's going to steal our joy, steal our peace. When we face difficulties,

we can't fall into that trap of going all through the day, constantly thinking, what am I going to do? How's this going to work out? My health, my children, my finances. I don't know how I'm going to get out of this mess. No, that's not your job. You don't have to figure everything out

Your job is to believe. Your job is to know that God has you in the palm of his hand. And he said that no weapon form against you will ever prosper. You've got to believe that right now, God is working behind the scenes. Believe that he's changing things in your favor. Believe that he's fighting your battles for you. When we believe, all things become possible. Some of you today, you're living so frustrated, so upset about a situation, you don't sleep well at night. dragging through the day without the joy, without the enthusiasm? Let me ask you this. If you knew that in three years' time, that situation was going to totally resolve,

God was going to turn it around and bring you out with the victory, most likely you'd let out a big sigh. You'd relax. You'd take the pressure off. You'd start enjoying your life once again. Well, I'm asking you to do that right now. Turn it over to God. Quit trying to figure it all out.

if you'll let God do it his way, he'll not only bring you out, but he's promised he'll bring you out better off than you were before. David said, I was young, now I'm old, and I've never once seen the righteous forsaken. I want you to go out of here with a lighter load, free from reasoning, free from trying to figure everything out, knowing that God is in complete control of your life. The scripture says here in Proverbs 3.5, trust in the Lord with all of your heart. One translation says, and mind. Our mind, our thoughts are so important. You cannot allow that problem to dominate your thought life. If you're worrying, you're not trusting. We cannot worry and believe at the same time. When you're tempted to think about it and try to figure it all out, just use that as a reminder

to say, God, I know you are working in my life. I may not see a way out, but I know you already have the answer. So I'm just going to relax and enjoy my life. That's what it means to be more than a conquer. You have peace right in the midst of the storm. You have a peace right there in the midst of the battle. You know God is going to bring you out. Your mind may be screaming all kinds of negative thoughts. It's never going to work out.

You're never going to get well. Your child's never going to do right. But you've got to just shake that off and say, no, I know this two shall pass. If God be for me, who dare be against me. Yes, I may have some difficulties, but know this. am not a victim, I am a victor. See, you've got to turn that around and don't allow the negative thoughts to play over and over. Instead, start thinking some thoughts of faith and victory. It goes on to say, lean not to your own understanding. That doesn't mean we shouldn't use our mind,

never use common sense. It's talking about when we can't figure something out. When we don't see a solution, it's saying, don't dwell on that. Let God be God. He already has the way out. Of course, there are times when we have to deal with the situation and maybe strategize a little bit, but how do we know when we've gone too far? How do we know when we've crossed the line and now we're over-analizing a problem? We know it when we start getting confused. The moment you get frustrated, the moment that stresses you out, that's a sure sign you're trying to figure out something that only God has the answer to. You've got to turn that over to him and know that he is in complete control of your life. And this is why many people have health problems. Their nerves are shot.

Got back aches, headaches, ulcers. It's because their mind is always going, trying to figure out things that there is no answer to. How am I going to get out of debt? What if my child doesn't change? What if my health doesn't improve? There's no rest. There's no peace. And some of you today, if you could just give your mind a break, if you could just give your mind some time off and say, you know what? That's it. I'm done. trying to figure everything out, living negative and worried. My life is too short for that. I'm going to put a smile back on my face, and I'm going to start letting God be God in my life. After all, he's taking care of me in the past,

and I know he's going to take care of me in the future. If you could just change your outlook and not fall into that trap of trying to figuring everything out and dwelling on the worst-case scenarios, but instead let your mind have some peace, some rest, some quiet time. you'd be amazed at how those health issues would go away.

That's what the scripture says. This will be health to our nerves. Understand, you cannot live mentally uptight all the time and expect to stay healthy physically. And the fact is, we all have situations in life where there's no logical solution. Doesn't matter how good of a person you are or how spiritual you are.

At times we can't see any way out. This is what happened to a man by the name of Jehoshaphat. In 2 Chronicles chapter 20, he and the people of Judah were surrounded by three major armies. They were quickly closing in on them. In the natural, they didn't have a chance. But I love what they did.

They didn't lose their peace. They didn't get all upset. Start complaining, God, why is this happening to us? You know what they did? They got down on their knees and turned it over to God. They said, God, we have no power to stand against this mighty army in our own strength. Notice they didn't deny the facts.

they admitted they didn't see a way out. They admitted in the natural it looked pretty hopeless. But they went on to say, God, we don't know what to do, but our eyes are upon you. There's the key right there. You may not know what to do today. You may not see how that marriage is ever going to work, how you could ever be well physically or how that business could ever survive. You may not be able to see it. You've got to make sure you've got your eyes on him. You've got to quit looking at how big your problems are, and start looking at how big your God is. David said, I don't look to the mountains for help. I look to the God who made the mountains.

You may have some powerful enemies coming against you, but you've got to know our God is all powerful. He spoke the worlds into existence. One angel in the Old Testament killed 185,000 of the enemies of God. We have to learn this principle to not magnify our problems, but let's magnify our God. And it's okay to be honest. there's nothing wrong with saying like Jehazaphat, God, I don't know what to do.

In my own strength, in my own ability, God, I know I'm never going to make it through this. In other words, I recognize my own inability, but God, I also recognize that you and I are a majority. God, I recognize that no man can stand against you. I realize that you are not only for me, you are not only with me, but you are in me. And as long as you are on my side, all the forces of darkness can be. not hold me back. That's what I did. When my father went to be with the Lord, I didn't think I could get up here. I didn't think I could minister. I'd never done it before. But I knew deep down in here, it was what I was supposed to do. And I basically just said, God, I don't know what to do,

but my eyes are upon you. When we rely on God, we will see his supernatural power. That's when he will make a way, even when it looks like there is no way. And some of you today, you need to change your focus. You need to quit looking at how big your obstacles are. Quit meditating on all the negative and what you can't be and what you don't have and instead start dwelling on the greatness of our God. One of the names God is called in the Old Testament is Jehovah Nisi. It means the Lord our banner. One translation says, the Lord, our banner of victory and conquest. I think of a banner kind of like a flag. You go to a certain country and you see their flag waving in the air. It represents what they stand for. Well, everywhere you go, God has put a flag of victory flying over your head. That flag is

saying, I am a child of the Most High God. I am destined to live in victory. I can do all things through Christ. When the enemy comes against me like a flood, I'm not worried. I've got that banner of conquest. I know God always causes me to triumph. When you face these impossible situations, you need to just in your imagination, get your flag out and wave it around a little bit. This may be impossible with men, but look what I've got. Because of who I am, because of the flag of victory over my head, I know God can turn it around. I know this battle is not mine. This battle is the Lord's. I love what God said in Psalm 44.

He has commanded us to live in victory. When God commands something, you've got to know it's going to happen. The only thing that can stop it is our own wrong thinking. Well, Joel, you don't know my circumstances. You don't know my finances. I'm so broke. I can't even pay attention. You don't know my marriage.

It's so far gone. You don't know what the doctors have said to me. Now, let me tell you, you are magnifying the wrong voices. No wonder you're stressed. No wonder you're discouraged. You've got to quit magnifying the problem and start magnifying the solution. You've got to get your banner of victory back out.

every morning when you get out of bed make sure you place that over your head you do it by faith. Jehovah Nisi is at work, the God who causes me to conquer. Our attitude should be everywhere I go today I'm going to overcome. I may have problems, things may come

against me, but I'm not worried about it. I know it's not permanent. It's only temporary and I'm not going to allow it to steal my joy. Some of you today, just like Jehoshaphat, you can't see a way out. You've got some big obstacles in your path. But But you have to stir your faith up.

This is what David did. He encouraged himself. When you're tempted to get negative and discouraged and think nothing's going to change, that's when you've got to get that banner of victory back out. When you do that, you're saying, I am victorious. I know good things are in store. These problems may be big, but I know my God is bigger. I may not see a way out, but I know God already has the solution.

So I'm not going to stay awake at night, toss and turn, worry. I know God never sleeps, so I'm going to rest in faith and just allow him to take care of it for me. Even when we go to bed, just symbolically you put the flag of victory over your head. Get up in the morning. You got it with you in your car, at the office, at the job site. Everywhere you go, you've got to remember what's flying over your heads. Not just our country's flag. It's the banner of conquest. The flag Almighty God has put over our head. Even right now, when I look out at you through my eyes of faith, I see your flag of victory.

Everywhere I look, I see strength. I see favor. I see increase. I see promotion. I see divine health. I see wisdom. I see joy. I see victors and not victims.

You got to get that down on the inside of you. Well, Joe, I don't see it. You got to see it through your eyes of faith. Quit thinking nothing's ever going to change. You may not know what to do, but as long as you know the one who does, you're going to be okay. And there's nothing wrong in life.

was saying, God, I don't know what to do, but we've got to learn to follow it up with, but my eyes are upon you, and I know you do. I know you are my banner of victory. This is what we did when my mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. The doctors said there was no treatment they could give her, that chemotherapy and radiation wouldn't work. And in the natural, we didn't see a solution. When my mother came home from the hospital after being there 21 days, we did what Jehossopat and the people of Judi did. The next morning in our living room, as a family, we got down on our knees. And we said, God, we don't know what to do, but our eyes are upon you. In other words, God, we know you're

bigger than this cancer. We know you can do what men can't do. And even though this looks impossible to us, we know you're the God of the impossible. And we had to fight the good fight of faith. Every day, those negative thoughts would try to bombard our mind. It's never going to change. It's hopeless. It's impossible. But we learned to just turn it around. Say, no, God can make a way. He is Jehovah Rafa, the Lord our healer. He's restoring health back into her. She will live and not die and

declare the works of the Lord. That was over 25 years ago. Today, my mother's still going strong, as healthy as can be. God had a plan. God was still in control. Why don't you let him be God in your life? Why don't you quit worrying? Quit trying to figure everything out. just because you don't have an answer doesn't mean God doesn't have an answer. Learn to trust him. I found a lot of times in life and we face difficulties and especially problems that we don't see an answer to. In the back of our mind, there's a voice constantly saying, what are you going to do?

What are you going to do? How's it going to work out? Trying to pressure us. But we have to understand. We don't have to have an answer. Trusting God means we're not going to have everything always figured out. somebody says to you, I heard about your problem. What are you going to do? Our answer should be, I don't know, but I do know the one who does. What I'm saying is, it's okay not to know. There are things in my life right now. I don't know exactly how they're going to turn out. I don't know exactly what to do, but I can tell you that I'm at peace because I know the one who does. I'm not looking at my circumstances. I'm looking at my God. And it's amazing how when we magnify the greatness of our God, And we dwell on the fact that he flung the stars into space.

He created it all. When we dwell on that, it's amazing how small our problems become. It's easy to thank God if you did all that, surely you can give me $3 for a gallon of gas. Surely you can change my child. Surely you can bring the right person into my life. Surely you can help my dreams come to pass. Let's learn to magnify God.

I remember when they told me that it was going to cost $75 million to renovate our new facility. At first, I didn't really know exactly how we were going to pay for it. And I could easily stay awake at night and tossed and turned, lived up tight, frustrated. But I did just what I'm asking you to do today. I said, God, I know you brought this opportunity across our path. I know you've opened up this door. And I don't know how it's all going to work out. I don't know exactly in the natural how we're going to pay for it. But God, my eyes are up on you. And there were plenty of times that I tried to figure it out in my own thinking. I thought, well, if we could raise this much over here and this much over here and sell this

and have all this other come together. But it seemed like I could never quite get it all figured out. Every time I started to worry, every time I started to get frustrated, I'd catch myself and say, no, I don't have to have the answer. I know where we're supposed to be. And when God gives a vision, he always gives provision. So I just turned it over to God and I stayed in faith

and little by little, one after another, we've met our goals and I know we're going to continue to do so. But we've got to let God do it his way. At first I kind of thought surely God would send one person to give a $50 million gift. God never did that.

Instead, he sent me all to you. He must have a lot of confidence in you guys. It's like that minister I heard about He told his congregation, I've got good news and I've got bad news. The good news is we have plenty of money to pay for our new building project. The bad news is it's still in your pockets. But when you don't know what to do, make sure that you know the one who does. And we have to understand.

Sometimes God delivers us from a difficulty. Other times, he chooses to take us through it. Just because you have a problem today, just because things are coming against, you. Doesn't mean necessarily you've done something wrong. Does it mean you're out of God's will? In fact, many times, because we're doing what's right, because we're in God's will, this stirs up the opposition, and it seems like everything comes against us. But if we can just learn to stay faithful, not get bitter, not try to figure it out, God will not only bring us through that, but he'll bring us through it stronger, refined, better off than we were before. You think about

the three Hebrew teenagers, Shadrach, Mejjerk, and Abindigo, they were in God's perfect will. But because of their righteousness, because they refused to bow down and worship the golden idol, it stirred up the enemy. And you notice, God didn't deliver them from the fiery furnace. He chose to take them through it. And I love what the scripture says. They came out without even having the smell of smoke. And you may be going through things right now that you don't understand. It doesn't seem fair. You're tempted to thank God, why is this happening to me? Why won't my child do right? Why didn't my relationship work out?

Why'd somebody lie about me? One reason is because we have an enemy. There are forces of darkness that are trying to drag every one of us down. But thank God, greater is he that's in us than he that's in the world. And when you're in one of those trying times, that's when you've got to dig your heels in and get that banner of victory back out. Our attitude should be, I may be down, but I'm not going to stay down. I may be in the fiery furnace, but I know I'm coming out without even the smell of

smoke. I know I'm coming out better off than I was before. See, the enemy always fight you the hardest when he knows God has something great in store. When you're in tough times, the scripture says when you've done all you know how to do, just keep standing firm. That means even when it doesn't seem fair, even when you don't understand it, just keep on keeping on, keep on being your best. Keep on being good to people. Keep on coming to church. Keep on praying. Keep on giving.

Keep on serving. If you will stand strong, then God can fight your battles for you. But we have to let God be God in our lives. In other words, whether he chooses to deliver us from it or he chooses to take us through it, let him do it his way. Don't try to figure everything out. In fact, the scripture says, God works in strange and mysterious ways. I read about this man.

that was so down and discouraged. It seemed like everything had come against him, his health, his family, his finances, and he was just about ready to give up. At his lowest point, at home one night, he said, God, if you're really working in my life, give me some kind of sign. About that time, the phone rang.

He went to answer it, and he looked on the caller ID, and it said, Almighty God. He nearly passed out. He didn't dare touch it. The next morning, he got his nerve up, and he called the number back, come to find out it was a church across town

called the Almighty God Tabernacle. Somebody had accidentally called his number the night before, and the name was too long. All they'd fit on the caller ID was Almighty God. God has a plan. The man there at the church, he asked him, why didn't you answer the phone last night? He said, are you kidding?

I wasn't about to touch that phone. I don't know that I blame him. But God works in mysterious ways. It says in Isaiah that God's ways are not our ways. They are higher and better than our ways. We're never going to understand everything. We need to learn to just trust him. I know some of you are concerned about your loved ones,

family member friends that are not making good choices, not on the right path. But God has a way of getting their attention. You don't have to shove things down their throat. It's not your responsibility to change them. It's your responsibility. to love them. Only God can change people. Quit worrying about them and just believe God has a plan. I heard about this young couple. They were going to visit some relatives. It was September the 11th,

the day of the attacks on the World Trade Center. Early that morning, on the way to the airport, they had a flat tire and they ended up missing their flight. And it just so happened, that was one of the flights that didn't make it. If they had not had that flat tire, they wouldn't be here today. and they were so relieved and just so thankful that God had spared their lives. And the young man got a call from his father who lived in New York. He was so frantic and so worried. He knew they were supposed to be on that flight and the son gave him the good news that they had missed it. And the whole family was just so grateful.

And this father in New York, he was a retired fireman. He told his son, he just couldn't stay at home. He was going to go down to the site and help rescue people. Well, that was the last conversation that they ever. had. The father was killed later that day when the towers collapsed. And the next morning when his son and daughter-in-law got the bad news, their joy, their happiness of having their own life spared, was turned to sorrow and even confusion. See, this father would never have anything to do with God. He was never open. And the son tried and tried to share God's love, but it was just like hitting a

brick wall. Now it seemed like it was too late. The son was so heartbroken and so grieved, not only at the of his father, but at the fact that he just didn't really know if he was at peace with God. Well, about three months later, there was a knock on his door. It was a young couple with a very small baby from New York. They asked if he was so-and-so, and he said he was, and they said, can we come in? We want to share a story with you. And this young lady holding the baby explained that she was in the World Trade Center on the day of the attacks. She was seven months pregnant and this young man's father had come and rescued her and carried her down a long flight of stairs. And she said, on the way down, I started talking to your dad about his relationship to God

and about receiving Christ. She said, when we got to the bottom of the stairs, we both knelt down on our knees and your dad prayed and asked Christ to come into his life. And they said, we traveled this long distance, not only to thank you, not only to give you this good news, but we wanted to introduce you to our little son. We named him after your father. Friends, God is in control. Why don't you start letting him be God in your life? Why don't you start trusting him?

Quit trying to figure how it's all going to happen. God has a plan. He already has the answer. There are going to be a lot of things like this that we don't understand until we get to heaven. But in the meantime, we can relax, we can stay in peace knowing that God has us in the palm of his hand, knowing that he's put a banner of victory over every one of us. We may not always know what to do, but as long as we know the one who does,

we're going to be okay. And I'm asking you today to give your mind some rest. I'm asking you to not try to figure everything out. If you'll turn it over to God and really let him be God in your life, he's promised he'll not only fight your battles for you. He'll not only lead you and guide you, but he'll begin to pour out more of his blessings and favor. And I know you'll live the life of victory that he has in store. Amen. Do you receive it today? I know you do.

We never like to close our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I 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. Sometimes the circumstances of life can be overwhelmingly negative. What should we do when we experience these kinds of negative reports and realities? Our life is like a container. It can only hold so much. When we allow negative things in like worry, guilt, and unforgivism, that's taking up space for the good things that belong to you. That's why I wrote my book, Empty Out the Negative.

I'll show you how to get rid of what's limiting you so you can live a victorious, fulfilled life. When you make room for joy, peace, and faith, God will feel you afresh and anew. 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 powerful book, Empty Out the Negative, empty out fear and replace it with faith.

My doctor, he said, I went in there and there is no cancer in your body. Empty out a hurt-filled childhood and replace it with confidence. So I took what Joel said and I physically replaced them with I am strong, I am worthy. I started saying those over and over and over. empty out broken relationships and find renewed love. In a world that's just so full of so much noise and negativity and hatred and just to come and have so much encouragement filled into you, you know, is something I've never had my whole life.

Are you holding on to things that are weighing you down? It's time to empty that out so you can live a positive, faith-filled life. Joel and I pray for you every day. We're believing for God's very best for you and your family. You know, we appreciate your prayers and your support. Your generosity is impacting so many lives. Remember, you can watch the services online every Sunday morning, download our daily podcast, listen on Sirius XM,

watch the new Joel Osteen Network streaming on television. But until we see you next week, may the Lord bless you and keep you. Be sure to request your copy of Empty Out the Negative today. Visit Joel Osteen.com or call 888-560. Joel