Joel Osteen Podcast - Living Without Crutches | Joel Osteen

Episode Date: August 10, 2023

Some people were only meant to be in our lives for a season. The good news is, when God closes a door, it’s always because He has something better in store.  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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Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you enjoyed today's message, why don't you be a blessing and share it with a friend? We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. And God bless you. Always a joy to come into your homes.

We love you and we know God has great things in store. If you're ever in our area, I hope you'll come out and be a part of one of our services. We'd love to have you. I promise you. you feel right at home. But thanks so much for tuning in today. I like to get started each week with something kind of funny. I heard about this groom. At the wedding rehearsal, he said to the minister, I'll make a deal with you. If you'll change my wedding vows and leave out all that love,

honor, and obey stuff, I'll give you $100. He pressed a $100 bill into the minister's hand and walked away quietly with a big smile. The next day during the ceremony, the minister said, do you promise to bow down before your wife, take her breakfast in bed every day, fulfill her every desire? He gulped in astonishment, said in a weak voice, I do. Then he leaned forward and said, I thought we had a deal. The minister handed him the money back and said, your wife made me a much better offer. 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 living without crutches. A crutch is something or someone we rely on too much. It's supposed to be temporary, just there till we heal up or until we're able to do it on our own. It's not supposed to be permanent. One of the hardest things for us to accept is everyone was not meant to be in our lives forever. Some people are, of course, our husband, our wife, our children. But then there are other people that God brings across our path for a season. They weren't meant to always be there. Maybe for a season there's somebody there to help mentor you, to help you grow,

or to help you raise your children, to help you make it through a difficult time. But too often we think this is the way it's always going to be. They're not going to leave. I couldn't make it without them. What happens is we become too dependent on them. If God didn't move them away, instead of helping us, they would end up actually hindering us. They were good for a time, but now they're limiting our growth. We have to be big enough to recognize when somebody's part in our story is over. Does it mean they're not a good person?

Does it mean we still can't be friends, love and respect them? But we have to accept the fact that things are changing. This is a new season, and if we're going to go forward, we've got to be willing to let that go. And this is very difficult for most people because we don't like change. We don't like the uncertainty that comes from things being shaken up. But if we could just see change in the right way and realize when God closes a door, it's because he has something better in store. And when a person has served their purpose in your life,

if you don't freely let them go, it's going to keep you from the new things God wants to do. I hear people say, well, I couldn't make it without this person that trains me at work. I couldn't make it without this friend that calls me every week and encourages me. Or I don't know what I'd do without this neighbor that drives me around everywhere. And that's great.

Those are divine connections. But what I'm saying is don't be surprised if that doesn't last forever. If God allowed them to always be there, you wouldn't become everything he's created you to be. And just as God supernaturally brings people into our lives, God will supernaturally move people out of our lives. And if we don't stay open and recognize what's happening, we'll try to hold on to someone that's not supposed to be there. we'll think, why are they trying to leave? I thought they were my friend. Why won't he mentor me anymore? Why doesn't she call me as much? I guess I'm not important enough. No, have you ever thought that may be God moving them away because they're limiting your growth? Could it be God is saying it's time for you to go to a new level? You don't need them anymore. They have fulfilled their purpose. Now it's time for you to step up. It's time for you to start encouraging yourself. it's time for you to run that business on your own. It's time for you to learn that new skill.

You don't need someone to constantly think for you and drive for you and believe for you and encourage you. You can do that for yourself. And if we're going to continue to grow, we have to get rid of these crutches. God has equipped you with everything you need to succeed. And yes, for a season, God will have people there to help us. But at some point, God's going to say, I've given you a pair of eagle's wings. I don't want you to be pushed along and just admire everybody that's ahead of you and wish you could do what they were doing. No, it's time to stretch out your wings.

You can rise higher than you think. I remember when I came back from college to start the television outreach here at Lakewood, I was 19 years old. I didn't know a whole lot about television production. And so we hired this gentleman from California. He was in his 60s, very experienced. He'd produced a lot of major league sports and some of the national morning shows. He was not only extremely gifted, but he had a great personality. It was fun to be around and we hit it off from the very start. I would come in early back then, stay late, go to dinner, hang out together. I watched very carefully how he put the programs together and how he chose certain shots and why he did it this way, why he did it that way. I was learning so much. He was so good at what he did. I used to think I could never do what he does.

He is so creative. He can write. He can direct. I'm just not that talented. Well, one morning he came in about a year after he started working there and he said, Joel, I'm leaving next month. I'm going back home.

I said, no way. You cannot leave me with this job. I don't know what to do. Everything's going to fall apart. He said, sure you do. you've watched me for a year, and I've watched you. There's no reason you can't do what I'm doing. No reason you can't handle this by yourself.

I said, that is not true. You're just being kind, and I begged him to stay. I said, we'll pay you more money. We'll give you more time off. You can go home, but then come on back again. He said, no, I know this is the right decision. He left. That first couple of weeks, I was so nervous.

I didn't know what I was doing. I called him every other hour asking him questions. But in a month, I started to feel more comfortable. In six months, I thought I'm pretty good at this. A year later, I said, what did I ever even need him for? I realize now, him leaving was the best thing for me. If he had not left and forced me to stretch, forced me to use my God-given talents,

then I would have never stepped in to my divine destiny. If somebody walks away in your life, whether it's a business relationship like that or a personal friendship, don't beg them to stay. Don't try to talk people into working for you or loving you or coming to see you. Here's a phrase you need to remember, let them go. Your destiny is not tied to the people that walked away. just like in my case, them leaving somehow, some way, is going to launch you into a new dimension of your life. You're not going to step back, you're going to step up to who you really are.

And understand, if they walked away, it wasn't an accident. If you tried to make it work and it didn't happen, accept it as God's plan. Let it go. God is going to open up new doors. You're going to discover new strengths and talents. Perhaps God's going to give you new friends that are more appropriate for where you are in this time in life. After all, things are always changing. The people that were your friends when your children were in school together,

they may not be your same best friends when their children are not in school. But you know what? That's okay. Accept it and allow God to bring you new friends. Too many people today are trying to ride a dead horse. They're holding on to something that God's been done with for five years. They wonder why they don't have any joy, why they can't get along. Listen, if the horse is dead, it's time to dismount and allow God to do something new. When that man left my life, I had a choice.

I could either sit around in self-pity and think it's not fair. Look what I've lost. Or I could say, God, I know you would not have allowed him to leave unless you had a plan for me to go forward. So I'm going to step into a new level of my destiny. I've learned since then don't try to talk people into staying that want to leave. If you do, you're only delaying the inevitable.

They're still going to go, whether it's a week or a year or five years. Because when God is done with something, there's no amount of super glue that can hold it together. There's something called the gift of goodbye. Some people, you may not realize it, but them leaving you is God giving you a gift. You shouldn't be said.

you should be rejoicing. I know some of you're thinking, God, give me that gift right now. I can tell you their name. I know my father, as a pastor, when people would come and tell him they were leaving the church, they would give him their sad story

and tell them everything that had gone wrong there. They expected my father to be down and discouraged. They were always shocked. My father was just as happy as could be. He never tried to talk them into staying. He didn't try to convince them they were making a big mistake. Oh, please don't leave. I'm sure we'll change.

No, he was always very gracious. He always thanked them, prayed over them, and then he walked them to the door. He didn't say it, but I know what he was thinking. The sooner you go, the better off for both of us. You want people in your life that are supposed to be there. When God has them there, they don't find fault in everything you do. When God puts them there, you don't have to manipulate. them to stay. That's what I love about all of you. I don't even know most of you by name. I can't

call you personally. I can't come to your children's ball games. But you don't come because you need me to stroke you and you need all this time and attention. You come because God puts you here and you're mature enough to know. You don't need Joel to touch you. You just need God to touch you. When God joins people to you, you don't have to play up to them and do everything perfect. And do everything perfect or they're going to leave. I know people that walk on eggshells trying not to offend their friends, making sure they don't get on the bad side at the person at the office. Well, if I don't go to lunch with them each day, Joel, they'll get upset and probably start talking about me. Listen, you don't need friends like that. That's not a true friend. That's somebody trying to

manipulate you. They're trying to control you to do everything they want you to do. Let them walk away. you don't need them to fulfill your destiny. Those kinds of people, if they're not talking about you now, don't let it fool you. It's just a matter of time before they will. You cannot keep people like that happy. The sooner they go, the better off you're going to be. I think about in my own life how I've tried to win people over, tried to keep them as my friend. I thought the church wouldn't continue without them.

So I played up to them, let them control me. But one day I realized what I'm telling you. I can't live my life like that. I don't have enough energy and my time is too valuable to try to keep somebody happy that's never going to be happy. I knew no matter what I did,

no matter how hard I tried, they were going to find some reason to complain, some reason to find fault. They're going to give me a new problem to fix. I love this scripture in 1 John 219. It says, they went out from us because they were not a part of us.

That tells me, when somebody leaves your life, they are no longer a part of your destiny. Their time is over. If you'll stay open, God will give you people that are not just with you, but people that are for you. It's a big difference. When you're with me, you're there as long as I perform perfectly, as long as I give you everything you need, as long as I don't make any mistakes.

But when you're not just with me, but you're for me, you believe the best in me. You don't try to control me. You give me room to make mistakes. You don't need my attention all the time. You give more to the relationship than you take away. That's the kind of people God wants to bring into your life. You don't have to try to make this happen. Just be your best each day.

And God will bring you divine connections. And then when that season is over, you don't have to get upset. You can let them leave with your blessing, continuing to love and respect them. I have people. We were friends way back, used to spend all this time together. But now my path has gone a different direction. They've had changes in their life. We may see each other only once every two or three years. But when we do, it's just like old times. You know why? We understand this principle. God had us in each other's lives for a season. We recognized when things were changing. We didn't try to make something work out when we knew down deep. It was. It was. over and done. We accepted it, and today we're both better off and we're still friends. That's the way it's supposed to be. Don't fight change. My father used to say, nothing is forever. When you hold on to someone, when you know down in here God is done with it, it's going to be nothing but a headache.

Now, I've learned this. God will always bring the right people into your life. But the key is, you've got to let the wrong ones walk away. If you don't let the wrong ones, you don't let the wrong go, the right ones will never show up. And sometimes people play up to our weaknesses to try to convince us that we have to have them in our lives. They'll try to make you think that you're not smart enough on your own. You're not talented enough and you need them to make up for what you're lacking. Don't believe those lies. Years ago, there was a young lady that worked for us here at the ministry. She grew up in a small town, moved here in her mid-20s. She was very smart, very bright, talented young girl. But I noticed that she never drove to work. She always had a young man drop her off

every morning. And one day we were just talking in passing. I said, hey, you're thinking about getting a car? She said, oh, Joel, I have a car. And I drove everywhere in my small town. But when I got here, my friend told me, because the city is so big and so complicated, and because I'm not used to driving on the freeways, he would have to bring me to work every day. I thought, all right, that's fine. That's nice for a while. But I said, when are you planning on driving? She said, oh, I don't think I'll ever be able to drive in this city. He said, it's so bad, it's so congested. I looked at her and said, can I tell you something? You are extremely talented. Do not allow some yo-yo to convince you that you cannot drive on our freeways. I told her, I know people that are 18 years old. They are no smarter, no bride, no bribe,

are no more talented than you, and they drive up and down these freeways every single day. She went back and told that young man what I said. He said, I don't know about that. It's kind of dangerous. You may get lost. Listen, you've got to be able to see through that. That's somebody wanting you to stay in that limitation so they can have a place in your life. That is not a true friend.

That's manipulation. And it's fine. You know, it's great that they want to drive you, but a true friend will not only give you a They'll say, you know what? You can do this on your own. I'll take you out on the weekends and we'll practice driving on the freeways, but you should be able to drive by yourself. About a month later, I saw her. She said, Joel, I drove to work today by myself. I said, that's great. I knew you could do it. I asked her how it was driving on the freeways. She said, oh, I don't drive on the freeways. I drive on the side streets. It took her an hour to get here. It should have taken her a half hour. And I encouraged her, that's great, but you keep it up. and don't settle for the side streets. A month later, she is driving on the freeways. Today she goes everywhere. Here's what's interesting.

That young man that wanted her to stay off the roads, he's no longer around. He was only interested in her if he could keep her pushed down so she could feel like she always owed him something. Those are not true friends. They are not helping you. They are hindering you.

You don't need people in your life that are enabling a, limitation, people that are enabling a dysfunction. If you will let them go, God will bring you the right people. I think about Moses. When God told him to go tell Pharaoh, let my people go, Moses said, God, I can't do that. I stutter. I'm not a good speaker. God, let me take my brother Aaron. He's a good communicator. He's got a lot more confidence in me. If I have him, I know I'll be able to pull it off. What was Moses saying? God, I need a crutch. I need somebody to make up for my weakness. And so he took Aaron with him, but I love what happened. When they got before Pharaoh,

just as Aaron was going to step up to speak, something rose up on the inside of Moses that said, Moses, this is your time. You do not need somebody to speak for you. I've given you everything you need. Moses put his shoulders back, held his head up high. He said, hold on, Aaron. I've changed my mind. I've got something to say. Pharaoh, let God's people go. It's interesting. The scripture never says that Aaron actually spoke for Moses. I believe God is saying that to each one of us. You don't need your friend to speak for you. You don't need your neighbor to drive for you. You don't need your cousin to tell you what to do. You are equipped. God wouldn't have presented you with that opportunity if he had not already given you everything that you need. And some of you today, you're relying on other people to carry you.

For instance, let me do the report at the office. You don't write well enough. Don't believe that lie. Let me drive you everywhere you're not able to. It's just too bad. Let me speak for you at the meeting. You're not very good in front of people. No, how do they know what God's put on the inside of you?

next time that happens, you need to rise up like Moses and say, hey, wait a minute, this is my time. This is my moment. I don't need you to speak for me, to write for me, to believe for me, to drive for me, to encourage me. I don't even need you to pray for me. I can pray for myself. I am getting rid of these crutches. Friends, God has equipped you. You are anointed.

You are empowered. You are well able. Don't let people play up to what you think are your weaknesses. And I understand some older people need someone to drive for them, but I'm talking about when we shrink back and don't do it because of fear. And it's easy to become too dependent on somebody else. And if we don't break out of that rut and get rid of those crutches, we can go year after year allowing other people to keep us from our destiny.

Well, you say, Joel, I kind of feel like Moses. I don't feel like I have what it takes. I'm quiet, I'm reserved, I'm shy. That's just how I felt when my father went to be with the Lord back in 1999. I didn't think I could get up here in minister. I was afraid to get up in public. Had all these thoughts telling me that I couldn't do it. But down in here, I had a strong desire.

I knew that I was supposed to step up and pastor the church. And again, God will never give you the desire without giving you the ability. God would have never told Moses to go speak in front of Pharaoh unless he knew Moses could do it. And so the first couple of Sundays, after my father went home to be with the Lord, I got up and I ministered. I did the best that I could do,

but I was still trying to figure out if I was able to and if I really had what it takes. One Sunday, I was sitting there listening to a guest minister. Now, as he was speaking, something rose up in me so strongly that said, Joel, This is your time. This is your moment.

But if you shrink back in fear, you will miss your destiny. Some opportunities only come around once. Driving home from that service, I told Victoria, I'm going to pastor the church. I made the decision. I took that step of faith. And even though I was nervous, I discovered like Moses, I didn't need anybody to speak for me. I was well able to do what God called me to do. you may have some limitations, but let me tell you, you don't need a crutch.

Aaron may be by your side, and that's great, but you don't need Aaron to speak for you. You don't need Aaron to drive for you. You don't need Aaron to tell you what to do. You have been equipped with everything you need to fulfill your destiny. That means you can make your own decisions. God has given you wisdom to run your own life. you don't need somebody constantly telling you what to do and what not to do. And yes, it's good to get other people's opinions.

It's good to listen to advice. But understand, God talks to you. You can hear that still small voice. You don't have to go through anybody else. You have a direct line to the throne of God. And if somebody's always trying to tell you what to do, just say thanks, but no thanks. Me and God, we're on speaking terms. one time a man came up to my father and said this man prayed for me and he said that God told him to tell me

that I was supposed to go to Africa and be a missionary. What do you think? My father said, I don't know, but I do know this. If you do go, make sure you take him with you so he can tell you when to come back home. You don't need somebody to tell you what God wants you to do. It's like this young lady came up to me a few weeks back. She said, Joel, this man that I hardly even know, he told me, God told him to tell me that I was supposed to marry him. She was a beautiful young lady. I kind of laughed. I said, don't worry about that. Every single guy, things they hear God saying that. He's just dumb enough to tell you. Anytime you hear that phrase, God told me to tell you an alarm should go off. In your mind, something should start blinking. Flake alert, flake alert, flake alert, flake alert. you can hear from God for yourself. You don't need a crutch. Listen on the inside to that still small voice. Right down in here, that knowing, that impression, that's God talking directly to you.

In the scripture, a man by the name of Gideon had three armies coming against him as he prepared for the battle. God said, Gideon, you've got too many people with you. If you win with this many, you'll be tempted to think you did it in your own strength. I won't get the credit that I deserve. And so God told him to let everybody go home that was afraid. There were 32,000 people in his army. That day, 22,000 went home. I can imagine Gideon was depressed. God, everybody is leaving.

What am I going to do? It's interesting. God didn't say, don't worry, Gideon, I'll bring you some more people. God said just the opposite. He said, Gideon, you still have too many people. He had him do something else. this time all but 300 people walked away. Think about it.

He went from 32,000 to 300. I'm sure he thought we are going to get totally wiped out. Practically, my whole army has gone. But no, it's not important how many people you have. What's important is do you have the right ones? That night, those 300 defeated tens of thousands of the enemy troops. What am I saying? if you're not willing to let people walk away, you'll miss out on God's best.

Don't be surprised in the coming days if God streamlines things and begins to weed out certain people. He's not trying to take you backwards. He's getting you prepared to go to a new level. You're going to see victories that looked impossible. You're going to think like Gideon, how did I do this? I could understand it if I had my whole army, if I had my neighbor driving for me and my friend helping me and my co-worker writing the report, but I did it all on my own. Yes, but you and God are a majority. And what happened is you quit depending on others and you stepped into a greater anointing. When you put a demand on your faith, that's what pleases God. Not when we sit back and expect others to do it. You don't need anyone to make up for what you

think are your weaknesses. I didn't think I could get up and speak in public. I'm too shy. But yet today, almost every week, I speak to thousands. That tells me, God didn't give us half the talent we needed. God never made us dependent on somebody else. Quit relying on another person to pray for you, to speak for you, to believe for you, to encourage you, do like Moses and say, Aaron, I appreciate you coming, but you know what? This is my time. This is my season.

I'm stepping into my God-given destiny. Recognize, if somebody walked away, it was not. an accident. It was a part of God's plan to get you to a new level. Don't let people control you. Don't let them manipulate you into thinking you can't do it without them. God would not have let them walk away if he didn't know you could do it on your own. And some people are with you, but they're not for you. And the sooner you let them go, the better off you're going to be. Amen. Do you receive that today? I know you do. We never like to close our broadcast without giving you a an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus,

I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make you, my Lord and Savior. Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in a good Bible-based church. Keep God first place. He's going to take your places that you've never dreamed of. Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the last. latest podcast to keep you encouraged and inspired all through the week. Help us to continue to share the message of hope with those all around the world. Visit Joel Osteen.com or click the link in the description to partner with us today. We hope you'll share this message with a friend and be sure to follow us on social media. We're praying for you. I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you

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