Joel Osteen Podcast - Part 2: Your Greater Is Coming Special

Episode Date: October 15, 2022

In part 2 of the Your Greater is Coming Special, Joel, Victoria, and friends continue the discussion of Joel’s new book Your Greater Is Coming. God is working behind the scene even when we don’t see anything happen. Don’t let the enemy use his never lies, because your greater is coming.   God is setting you up for something magnificent. Request your copy of Your Greater is Coming today. https://www.JoelOsteen.com/greater?sourcecode=2210JWBP&utm_campaign=2210&utm_medium=web&utm_source=podcast&utm_term=onsale     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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Right now, God is arranging things in your favor. He is lining up the brakes you need. He is pushing back forces of darkness. If you will keep moving forward in faith, you are going to come in to unusual favor. Breakthroughs, healing, victories, things that you couldn't make happen on your own. You have to stir up your praise.

Stir up your faith. Start speaking victory over your. your life. Start thanking God that he's fighting your battles, that this too shall pass, that greater is coming. Well, welcome back to part two of our conversation around Joel's new book, Your Greater is Coming. We got another question from one of our team members here, Alex. Alex, you got a question for Joel. Yeah, so in chapter eight, your time is coming. The book says that sometimes it can take a long time for your dream to come to pass. And sometimes, Sometimes you won't see any change or improvement taking place for quite a while. And it's easy to get discouraged but to not give up hope and keep the faith.

So I was just wondering, did you have any advice or thoughts on what to do during those waiting periods? Yeah, that's a great question, I like, because that's a, I mean, a lot of these are difficult times to keep, to stay in faith. but let me think about some scriptures. Let me get going here. The scripture says about the Israelites, they did not wait for God's plan to unfold. So it's obviously there's a part of waiting. And I think what happens many times, Alex, I'm sure I've done it too, is, you know, we get discouraged along the way and we miss God's best. So to me, I go back to this. God, you said there's a set time for this to come to pass. That's what the scripture says in Psalms. So if there's a set time, I'll call that a right time. that means any other time is the wrong time. So God, I trust your timing. I believe you know when

the right time. Now, I think the challenge is the right time for us is always right now. But you know what? God's working. This is another thing I'll remind myself. God, you're working behind the scenes even though I don't see anything happening. And just because, let me say that thought better, just because nothing is happening doesn't mean God is not working. That's when the never lies come. Never going to get well. Never meet the right person. This situation is never going to turn around. the enemy's been using those same lies forever, you know. So you just got to say, you know what, you wouldn't be telling me that if my greater wasn't coming,

if this promise wasn't on the way. So I think the way you wait for the plan to unfold is you get up, you know, when you're tempted to worry, just turn it around and let it be a thought of praise. Father, I thank you that you're working in my life. I think you that what you promised me is on the way. I think you that whatever it is, my healing has come, and whatever it is.

But I think if you can just remind yourself, that God is for you. He's already, he already set the time for the answer to come. It's already on the schedule and it's going to be the right time. Then I think it'll be easier to stay in faith. But keep that scripture, I use it a lot. They did not wait for God's plan to unfold. What if you're about to get discouraged and it's going to unfold next week? Or what if you knew that on December 17th at 12, 20 in the afternoon, you were going to meet the right person or that medical report was going to turn or you would say, okay, I'm going to stay. Okay, I'm going to stay. I'm going to stay in peace. I know it's on the way. What God promised you is on the way. So just take that same time

that you'd normally worry and say, Father, I trust you. I thank you. Now, I think it can get difficult like somebody called yesterday and they've been waiting seven years. I know that's hard, but you just have to say, God, you know, it's difficult, but God, I believe you've given me the grace that I need. I believe that you're in control. And again, I go back to this. God knows what's best for us. He has you in the palm of his hand. And so if it's taken a long time, I've learned this, it's because he has something bigger, something better in store for you. It's going to be more rewarding. So I hope you'll stay in faith. Yeah. You know, it's funny because we can all look back and say if I knew then what I know now. You know, I would have found joy in the journey. And so I think that we have to

realize there's joy in the journey. And you brought up the Israelites. You know, when they were, when they were taken out of Egypt and journey. into the promised land, they had their kids with them. They had, they had God placed, you know, valuables. He had the Egyptians give them valuables and things, but they weren't looking at what they had. They were just looking at, I've got to get to this place that he promised. They had their little kids with them.

But all they could do is murmur and complain. They weren't finding joy in the journey. They got, they let that discouragement take hold to the point where they said, if we could only go back. But I bet if you'd ask them today, and they could see that whole plan unfolded in their life. They had said, why didn't I find joy in the journey? Why didn't I use what I had?

Yes. Why didn't I take advantage of my children at this age? So I think that's a lesson that we can learn from these stories in the Bible. And there is joy in the journey. There's treasure in darkness. We've just got to be the kind of people that find it and look for it. And so I think that's how we can get through those waiting periods to know. that God isn't punishing us, but that he's got something for us today. I think you too,

picture, I love that phrase. I'm going to use that sometime joy in the journey, but it says to the we talk about the Israelites. It took them, whatever, 40 years to make an 11-day journey, but it did say at one point, God did not take them the shortest route because they weren't prepared for war. Yes. And so I think in that waiting time, God's doing things in us. You know, we may think we're ready or maybe, this is a better way to put it, God may have something bigger than you can handle right now. And he's saying, you know what, let me get you a little stronger, a little more experience. I'm not going to throw the compact center on you right now. I'm not going to, you know, until you're ready. So again, it goes back to God. I trust you with my life.

I think the key is when you're honoring God, you're being your best. You don't have to be perfect, but when your, when your heart is to please God, he's ordering your steps. The scripture says, no good thing will he withhold when you walk up rightly. So that means at the right time, God's going to bring you what you need. If it hasn't happened yet, hadn't been the right time, maybe God's doing a work in you. Maybe he's working in somebody else. Maybe he's waiting for some, you know, he's arranging some other things in your favor. But you can have joy in the journey when you trust that God's in control. So good. We have another question here from our online crew, Kayla from South Carolina. She says, you and Victoria are such a great couple

together. What is your favorite memory with Victoria and how do you keep your relationship strong? I have so many favorite memories. Where do I start? My favorite memory would be, whew, it'd probably be, pick one. Maybe this is not your favorite. Well, my favorite would be the, when I took her out on my first date. That was my favorite. We came right here to this building. This wasn't built, but the compact center is right next door. This connects to it. And so I ask her to come to a Rockets basketball game with me. And she said, Yes, and it's a long start. I'm a boy, you know.

No, this is good. We need to hear this. Okay, well, so anyway, we, we, I had season tickets, but I realized the day I went to pick her up that I had given away those tickets for that night to somebody else a few months before. And so I thought, oh man, I just invited this beautiful girl out. It doesn't even know me, and I don't have any tickets to come to the ball game. And it was sold out, so we had to come here and we had to buy them from the scalpers down front.

And that's back going, it was legal. It's not legal now, but, uh, But I'll tell you a funny thing about Victoria. So this guy comes up, this guy comes up, and he's kind of a schemer, you know, but he was just, and he's dealing, dealing. I said, okay, give me some tickets. So he said, okay, here's tickets, $50 each. And that was, what about it, 37 years ago?

That's a lot. It was more than that. Okay, maybe it was playoff tickets. Oh, okay, maybe it's $100 each. Anyway, it was a lot of money. But I wasn't, man, I got her with me. What I'm going to do? I'm not going to be embarrassed.

So I'm about to buy these tickets. And she walks in and says, no, no, no. we're not paying that much for those tickets. I thought, I don't even, I said, who are you? I thought that's great. She bargained. She got him down. But anyway, we sat at the very top, and during the half time, somebody threw his, well,

it's a long time, but during the game, somebody threw their beer, their beer went up in the air when they jumped up and shouting, and it came back down on Victoria and drenched her, and it was a crazy time. But it was right here in this building, but it was a great memory. I remember the beer flowing down her forehead. she had a little leather jacket. I thought, I don't know what she thinks. But Victoria and I, when we dated and we still, we laugh all the time. We keep laughter in our house and she loves to laugh. I hear laughter. She'll be on the phone. 8 o'clock in the morning. I hear

laughter going through the house. And I love that because I think it's easy to let life weigh you down. Pressures. Oh, we've got a big ministry. We've got this stuff going. But you know what? You have to enjoy your life and take time and really, you know, I like not bringing this is maybe sounds too cliche, but not bringing stress into the home. In other words, there's stressful things. When we get at our home, we're not, you know, we work together, but we're not working here. This is our home. We're going to have fun here. We're going to relax. We're going to, you know, enjoy each other. So I think your home needs to be a place of peace and harmony and joy. And I know I can hear somebody saying, yeah, but you know my,

you don't know my husband or you don't know my situation, but maybe you can be the catalyst for change. Victoria sets the tone in the house. She's joyful. She's happy. She's, you know, and I think I am too, but I think she really sets the tone in the house. Tell a couple of good memories about me now. Come on. All my memories are good about Joel.

I just can't remember any. No. I'm just kidding. That was good. That was good. No, I think laughter, you know. And it's funny because I have a different sense of humor than he does. But, you know, we laugh. We laugh at each other. And I just, you know, I love going back to those

times where there were no pressure, you know, and thinking about how much fun those times were, too, because it's, it makes you realize that it doesn't have to be that much pressure right now. Yeah. You know, that there are things we can laugh at. So I agree with everything that he's saying. We've had so much fun together. I mean, Joel's a gift for me. He was my gift. So I just love everything about him. I could kill him sometimes. You know, I was going to say,

one thing that I've observed that I've loved is just how you're aware of how each other compliments one another. You know, you see what she brings that you may not possess, that adds to your relationship and your family. And you see, you know what I mean? And I think that's key in our lives, is recognizing how other people compliment us and bring strengths maybe that we don't necessarily have.

Yeah, so good, Nick, it is. I recognize Victoria is spontaneous. She's a great extemporaneous speaker. I've got to go prepare normally a long time to get up, but she can get up and do, you know, our gifts are just different. And I think sometimes we try to make people, you know, we get upset over somebody else's gifts being different.

Maybe, you know, especially if they're not just like us, but I know we're better together. And she brings things that I don't bring. And so that's why I think celebrating the differences is the way to go and not, hey, why aren't you like me? You know, I'm going to be down here an hour early today. She's going to come out with 37 seconds before the service starts. But you know what?

We're all different. But then again, there's so many things that Victoria, just her insight, her discernment. She sees things that I don't see. I think there's no way that's right. You know, two days later on, that's exactly right. But I've learned to trust that and trust her. And so, again, celebrating each other's differences. Yeah, I like that.

It's awesome. Well, we have, Tara's got a question from the book. Tara. Hi there. Hi. So you already shared a little bit about, Psalm 106 and how the Israelites, they didn't allow God's plan to play out. And in chapter four, you talk about how we can sometimes push so hard on a door that isn't God's will that it opens

anyway. So how do you walk that out? How do you know when to keep pushing and when to wait on God? That's a great question. It is a good question. And again, I feel like some of these are difficult. I hope I can answer them properly. But I think you have to go back to say, God, I trust your timing, I trust your ways. Maybe here's a different take on it too. And this is maybe a little more harder, but I've learned this. I ask God for what I want. I, you know, I let him know. I ask, but then I said, God, but I trust you and you know what's best for me. And here's the kicker. And God, if it doesn't work out my way, I'm still going to be happy. And I think that's a real key there because we do get set in our ways. And I told some examples there, maybe too long to tell,

but where I just kept pushing on this door, I wanted this. This is good. I could tell it was good. And you know what? God let the door open, and I thought, oh, it's not what I thought. It was a little bit of a heartache. It's like in the scripture, what is it? It's having, you know, Abraham, you know, he wanted that child. He had the promise, Nick. He heard God. You're going to have a baby. And year after you went by and nothing happened. And he said, okay, God, I'll help you out. And so, you know, he had a, he had matters into his own hands, had a baby that you had Ishmael, not Isaac. And I think sometimes we're giving birth to Ishmael's, because we're, we're, we're giving birth to Ishmael's, because we're, we're not waiting. But Ishmael, and it wasn't his fault, God brought another nation's out of him, but actually Ishmael, that caused a lot of strife and confusion. And, you know, and I think when we birth things out of God's timing or when we push things, that's what happened. So I guess the message is, you know, if it's not happening on your timetable, God, I'm going to, I'm going to still trust you with it. I'm not going to, I don't think we have to beat doors down. And I am, I do believe in being, I was going to say aggressive. Is that the word? I do believe in being, you know, passionate. I mean,

it took a lot to get the compact center. I was down at City Hall all the time. But I don't think you have to, there's a fine line of trying to just beat a door down. And, you know, sometimes God is so merciful, he'll keep a door closed that's going to keep you from your destiny. But other ones may not be, you know, he may let open. It's not his perfect will. But it's just going to be a little more difficult. And we think, you know what, next time I'm going to learn. Next time I'm going to say, God, not my way. Let your will be done. You know, I think probably through the years this has helped you, but Joel's very patient. You know, and there's a scripture that it says through faith and patience. That's what brings forth the promise. And I think you've learned that, yeah, you have to be proactive. You have to go after what you want.

You have to be willing to get up early and go after what you want. But you also, you also. have to balance that with a patience, knowing that, you know, patience is described in the, in the Bible as a virtue as a power. And so I think we live in such a generation where we don't need patience, you know, because we can get everything quickly. And we can send a text across the world in two seconds and have a response. We can do five things at once, you know. But I think when we just take a, you know, a step back and go, am I a patient person? You know, can God trust me, You know, and so I think that you have become a very patient person. Like you said, even now you pray, you may, you know, you ask God, you seek, you knock, but then you wait.

You know, not that you're not doing anything. You're not idle, but you're patient. And I think that that's something we can all develop is just a power in patience. And knowing that if it is for us, we're going to get it. No one's going to take it from us. You know, sometimes we think, and I think this, maybe we, but I always think, well, God, I need to help you. You know, or God, are you dependent on me to do something that I'm not doing? And I can get really caught up in that.

I'm like, God, am I supposed to be doing this or am I supposed to be doing that? And I try to make sure that I'm doing what God would want me to do. But you know what? That's when I have to say, you know what, I'm going to sit back. I don't have to rush out and do something to get ahead of God. I'm going to let you lead me, God. because that's what the Bible talks about, that the Spirit will lead us and not to get out in front of the Spirit. And that takes patience, and that takes trust. And that takes knowing that you're doing your part in prayer.

And, you know, so I think that you, could you say that you have developed more patience in your life? I know the truth is, he's really not a patient person. I know I just said all that. I'm not canceling what I said. But by nature, you're not patient, right? By nature, I've learned to be patient. That's what I'm trying to say. By nature, he's not patient. He goes 90 miles an hour and he wants to see results, but you have learned to be very patient. God brought great people into my life to teach me to be patient. I have learned to be patient. And what you're saying is very powerful. And I think what's helped me too is because I like to be moving. I like to be achieving. Where's the next station? Where's the next station? But I've learned this, that every season is not harvest season. You've got to have growing seasons. You've got to have growing seasons. You've got to have. planting seasons and watering seasons and, you know, I want every season to be like harvest, but there's, you know, my house, I look at these lemon trees and, man, sometimes they're bare.

But you know what? It's just not the right season. It doesn't mean more fruit isn't coming. Greater's not coming, but that's helped me to know. And what you said, Victoria, that that's really helped me that what belongs to you is going to come to you. You're not missing it because it's taken longer. It has your name on. It's not like God said, oh, too bad. They got it. You're not going to get it. God never runs out of favor. And that helped me to know that God, I'm going to keep being my best. I may see somebody else doing this or over here, but what has my name on it is going to come to me. So I can rest. I can be my best. I can trust. I think that what you were saying too, Victoria, is just living out of a place of rest, out of a place of trust. When we're worried, when we're, you know, uptight, we're not, we're not really trusting. We may say it, but, you know, peaceful is a place of power. And so I think if you can stay peaceful, know that God, you know what, I'm going to wait for your plan to unfold. And the last thing is, I think you do that one word for wait or says in the amplifies,

it says wait with expectancy. It doesn't mean just, oh, nothing good is going to happen. No, I'm waiting with expectancy. God, I know it's coming. So God, I just thank you that it's on the way and I trust your timing. Awesome. I want to ask this question, chapter 13. So we're talking the end of the book, the title is coming out better.

And in this chapter, you talk about without coming out of whatever you've gone through without the smell of smoke. And I just think that there's people right now maybe going through a lot of stuff, a lot of hardship, but it's such a powerful chapter. You talk about the Israelites, of course, you talk about the people in Daniel.

Anything you'd want to encourage people with. Yeah, I love the thought because we've all been through the pandemic and if not that, we've all been through something. And I think the mindset is, God, if you just bring me through, I'll be okay. I'll just come through straggling, beat up, bruise. That's all right. I made it through.

But that's not the way God is. God gives us that promise that, you know, you're going to come out without the smell of smoke. I love that thought that you're not going to look like what you've been through. In other words, people aren't going to look at you in, oh, man, you went through the pandemic. You had COVID, didn't? Man, you had a bad relationship. Well, that's one thing.

We'd be grateful to be alive, but that's not the way God is. That's what greater is coming is all about that, yeah, we go through these things, but they're stepping stones for God to show out in your life. life in a new way. I hope you'll have that attitude of faith that just, you know, I may be in something now. I may even be in the fire, but I love that, Nick. It says their clothes weren't burned. They didn't smell like smoke. Their hair wasn't singed. And again, we'd be grateful if they just came out. Had little burns here and there. They made it alive. But look at how good God is. They've been through a furnace, through a fire, and they don't look like it. Well, that's the promise God gives us.

And so I believe that for each one of you. They're on the other side of those. difficulties is not to just made it out, but you made it out better. Yeah, awesome. Yeah, that's so good. I love that. I mean, it's something that I think God wants us to do because we are his representatives on the earth. You know, we represent a good God. And so people are going to look at you and they're going to think, you know, you've been through a hard time. And I've seen this with people that I think, how did you go through that? Yes. Yes. And how are you where you are today? And it's astounding. And What does that do? That builds my faith.

That makes me realize God is a good God. And so I believe that he wants to clothe his children with the good things. He wants us to be his representative and his hands and feet. So that's why I believe that like even in that story of Daniel, you know, if they would have come out anything less, you know, there would have been a lot of questions. But I think that because God was in the fire with them, and that's the key. Whatever you're going through, God is in their. with you. He hasn't told you to go through it alone. He says, I'm in there with you. And so if you can

just remember, there's someone with you all the time that you can talk to, that you can call on, that wants to help you. I think that's what helps us to get out of that place, not looking ragged out, not looking like we've been beat up by the world, by this situation, but that God is faithful. And I think that's what I want to see. I want to see people who've walked with God, and I can see the faithfulness of God. Not their victory as much as the victory that God showed them. I love that. Nick, and one more thought on that, because you think about the attitude of Shadrake, Meshach and Avendigo,

before they were thrown in. We're talking about waiting for God's plan to unfold and trusting God's timing, trusting His ways. Well, they could have thought, hey, God, we're doing the right thing. Why are you going to let this guy throw us into a furnace? We're not going to bow down, but their attitude, you know, where he's there, they said, hey, God will deliver us, but even if he doesn't, we're still not going to bow down.

So they had this attitude of faith. God, we trust you with our lives. They didn't go into the, I hope I would have that kind of faith, but they didn't go into the fire, panicking and fighting it and all that. They just went into it full of faith, trusting, knowing that God was in control, really knowing that God, if it's our time to go to heaven, we're going to go right now. And that's a powerful way to live. I love that thought about, it says many of the saints of old, they died in faith.

You know, I don't want to die bitter. and angry and God, I'm getting thrown into this furnace. I'd rather die in faith. And I think that's a powerful way to live your life, knowing that God's in control, that he's not going to let you go in a fire, that he doesn't come in there with you. And if it's not your time to go, all the forces of darkness cannot stop what God wants to do in your life. He has greater is coming, not just coming out, but coming out better. Coming out, not looking like what you've been through. It's awesome. I want to encourage the people as well, pick up a copy for your family members, for a friend, for coworkers, especially those of you who maybe know, you know that they're going through something

challenging right now. They're facing something that seems insurmountable. This is incredible. It's inspiring. It's encouraging. It'll help someone that's close to you. Any last thoughts you have on the book or want to encourage the people with? Well, hey, it's great being with everybody. Our online audience. And how about our staff here, guys, thanks for being here. Love your questions. Just Nick, thanks for hosting. But, you know, just God has good things in store. and keep your faith out there. You wouldn't be alive unless there was something amazing in front of you. We love you.

We're praying for you every day. And really, our prayer is this, that the dreams God put in your heart, the promises that you're believing for, we're standing in agreement that God will bring them to pass. I know there's power in agreement. And sometimes you may not feel like there's anybody to pray for you. You kind of feel lonely or, you know, something like that. But you know what?

There's people here. Our ministry, people here at Lakewood, we're praying for it. and we just believe you're going to see the goodness of God. Again, not a get by 2022. How about a bountiful 2022? How about God opening up some new doors, doing some things you've never seen, turning some negative situations around?

He's done it in the past, but I believe the best is still yet to come. That's awesome. Are you going to pray for him? I think it would be a great time to just pray. I'm going to pray. You speak a blessing too. Oh, well, I just want to say that you're set apart.

And I think when we have this attitude, that we are set apart for God, that God has already designed great things, things in our future. There's good works for us to do. If we'll keep that mindset that we are set apart, children of the most high God, no matter what you're walking through today, God is walking with you. I believe that you are going to come out greater, more enlarged, with more experience, more expression in your life. And I believe that God is faithful and he's going to show himself faithful to you and to your children. Amen. I love that. So pick up a coffee for you and a friend.

I believe it will encourage you. Let me pray. Lord, thank you for all of our friends watching and listening today, I thank you that you do have them in the palm of your hand. Lord, you know, their goals, their dreams, the challenges, things that are coming against them now. I thank you, Lord, that you're fighting their battles, that every force that's trying to stop them is broken in the name of Jesus. Depression, anxiety, addictions. Lord, I think of your healing, sick bodies, restoring relationships, bringing them divine connections, Lord, giving them the power to wait well. Lord, I thank you that your plan is going to unfold in their life, that it will be bigger, better, more rewarding than they've ever imagined. Lord, help us to believe. I just speak victory, abundance, healing, health, favor over every person under the sound of my voice.

I believe and declare you're not average, you're not mediocre, you're a child of the most high God. We love you very much, and we'll see you next time.