Joel Osteen Podcast - Pass The Test | Joel Osteen

Episode Date: October 7, 2024

Every test is an opportunity to rise higher. If you want to see God’s favor in greater ways, you have to be willing to grow through the challenges. 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's great to be with you today. And I hope you'll stay connected with us during the week through our daily podcast, our YouTube channel, social media. We'll keep you encouraged and inspired.

But I'd like to start with something funny. and I heard about this scientist. He said to God, we've decided we no longer need you. We can clone people, transplant hearts, do all kinds of things once considered miraculous. God said, fine, but to prove you don't need me, let's have a man-making contest. The only requirement is you have to make man out of dirt. The scientist said, great, and reached down to pick up a handful of dirt. God said, not so fast.

Go get your own dirt. God made it all. Here we go. Ready? 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 past the test.

We all face situations. that are uncomfortable. We're not getting our way. Someone is not treating us right. Our dream is taking longer than we thought. It's easy to get upset, live frustrated, wondering why it's not changing. But much of life is a test. You don't really know what's in you until you're put under pressure. It's easy to have a good attitude when everything's going our way and people are being good to you. Doors are opening. The driver next to you politely let you in. You'll feel the joy of the Lord. Thank you, Lord, for your favor.

And that's good. Praise, gratefulness is inside you. But how about when the driver isn't so polite? In fact, they make sure you don't get in. Stay right on the other person's bumper. You may find out there are some other things in you besides praise in Thanksgiving. You weren't speaking in tongues,

but another language started coming out. Peter told Jesus, I'll never deny you. I'm your most faithful disciple. His heart was right. He had good intentions. Standing with the other disciples in that atmosphere of faith, that wasn't difficult. But when he was put under pressure, when the Roman soldiers were arresting Jesus, when the heat was turned up, the young lady said, he's one of his disciples.

Peter said, no, I'm not. You have the wrong person. Three times he denied that he knew Jesus. The pressure brings to light weaknesses in our character, areas we need to be. areas we need to deal with. If we'll be willing to change, make adjustments, start passing those tests, then God will show us more of his favor.

But just because Peter failed that test didn't stop his destiny. God doesn't give up on us. He gives us another chance. It's significant that Peter is the one that wrote, don't be surprised at the fiery trial that is to test your quality. The purpose of the trial is to test your quality.

character. God already knows how you're going to respond. It's not to show God, it's to show you what's in you. Every traffic jam, every person that gets on your nerves, every time you're tempted to be jealous, critical, pay someone back. That's not a random challenge. That's God testing your quality. That's an opportunity to grow, to come up higher, to show him what you're made of. And the problem with failing the test, being really, rude to someone that's rude to you, getting upset every time you get stuck in traffic, being jealous over a friend that got a promotion, when you don't pass, you're going to have to take the test again. It's not going to go away. God is going to keep testing your quality. He loves you too much to let you

stay at one level. That's why you can't pray away everything that's uncomfortable. God, get this coworker out of my life. They're irritating me. They're getting on my nerves. That's a test. Why don't you be an eagle and rise above their pettiness? Stop letting them steal your joy. Stop giving them your power. When you let someone else determine whether or not you're going to stay in peace, you're handing them your thermostat. You're letting them control your temperature. They say something rude. You get upset. They leave you out. You get offended. They ignore you. Your day is soured. Do yourself a favor. Take your thirmy. Take your thursday. thermostat back. Quit letting other people control your atmosphere. Determine your mood,

your peace, your joy. You can't control what they do, but you can control how you respond. Start passing the test. Next time they're rude, just smile and go about your day. When they leave you out, just stay in peace. God, I know you're fighting my battles. You're my vindicator. When they try to make you feel small, just ignore it and move on. They don't. don't determine your destiny. You're not who they say you are. You are who God says you are. You're a masterpiece, one of a kind, crowned with favor. Instead of trying to pray them away, try a different approach and be happy despite what they're doing. Bloom where you're planted. The scripture says no person can take your joy. They can't take it. You have to give it. Make up your mind. I'm not

going to give this jerk. I mean, this co-worker of my joy. don't go the next 20 years letting the same things upset you. Same people, same traffic, same delays. It's a test. If you'll grow, if you'll respond differently, sometimes God will remove it. But here's the key. Even if he doesn't, because you've changed,

because your character has come up higher, it's not going to affect you. I found when God is not changing the circumstance, he's using the circumstance to change me. I'm a very goal-oriented person. I have a plan. I'm focused. I like to get things done.

That's a nice way of saying I struggle with being impatient. But it seemed like the more in a hurry I was, the more I would find myself in situations where I would have to wait. At the grocery store, there would be three registers to check out. I'd make sure I'd get in the shortest line. I would calculate it. Count the number of people in line, study how much. much was in their cart. I was on a mission to get in and get out as fast as possible.

Invariably, the person in front of me would need a price check, can't find the item, computer is malfunctioning. One time the clerk was new. She was so slow. Supervisor had to come over three times. A whole time I watched people in other lines pass me by. That'd get me so stress. I never realized it was a test. I thought it's just a bad break. I chose the wrong line. One day it dawned on me that I always got behind the slowest person in the grocery store on the freeway at the airport. Why is that? You'll be tested in the area of your greatest weakness. I'm not tested in being focused, being responsible, taking risk. Those are my strengths. I'm tested in being impatient. If you struggle with being jealous, don't be surprised if you see every friend

that gets something that you want. Your co-worker makes half as much as you. They drive up in a brand new car. You take your family on vacation for a few days down to Lake Conroe. You are happy until your neighbor calls from Paris. They're spending two weeks there. You're believing for a spouse to meet the right person.

Your best friend gets engaged, your cousin, your co-worker, your 90-year-old grandmother. You're the bridesmaid in six weddings, smiling. I'm so happy for you. Down deep, I am so upset. God, this is so not fair. Tell you something funny, a pastor friend of mine, he was believing for a new building for his church. And for several years, he'd been praying, looking everywhere, raising funds, but nothing was available. A new pastor moved in town, hadn't been there two months. He called my friend, said, I want to come pick you up and take you somewhere. My friend was excited. He thought maybe he had

found my friend a new building, place to rent. He drove him to this beautiful building, prime location, great parking. He said the owner of this property just told me I could use it rent-free for five years. Isn't this awesome? My friend said, yes, it is so awesome. He didn't mean a word of it. He was so discouraged. But God blessing someone else doesn't mean he's not going to bless you. God didn't run out of favor. That's a test. He's watching to see how you're going to respond. But they don't deserve it.

I've been here longer than them. I don't understand it. No, pass the test. Be happy for them. That's an opportunity to show God what you're made up. If you will celebrate others, then God will have plenty of times where people will celebrate you.

Pay attention to the areas that you're tested in. It's not a coer. When God brings things to light, you have to be willing to deal with it. These impurities in our character keep us from rising higher. They don't come out in the good times. They come out when we're under pressure. Don't ignore it. Don't keep responding the same way.

God wants to entrust you with more favor, more influence, more resources. That's why he's testing your character. One time I had a meeting at the church. at that time it was a 30-minute drive from my house. I left a little bit late, but I knew if I didn't hit any traffic, I would get there right on time. I prayed for favor. Lord, thank you for making my crooked places straight.

There was a light leaving my neighborhood. In three years, I had never seen it red. It was always green, but right when I got to the intersection, it turned red. It was the strangest thing. I got on the freeway and took off, praying that God would give me to see. sermon to know which hill the policeman would be sitting over. I was doing fine. Still had time to make it. Then the traffic started slowing down. As it got slower, my blood pressure went higher and higher, slowed down all the way to 20 miles an hour. It's never that slow at that time of day. I was frustrated.

The lane next to me was going a little faster. I tried to get over, but nobody would let me in. I waved, smiled, blue kisses, held up a 20, but nothing. Finally, someone paused and let me in. I thought, thank God I got over. Right when I did, that lane stopped. I sat there and watched the lane I was in, passed me by. I was so stressed. I just knew that was the enemy attacking me, making me late.

Now I realize that was God attacking my impatience. That was God allowing me to be. in an uncomfortable situation to bring to light impurities in my character. It didn't happen overnight, but I started dealing with it, ruling over my emotions, not letting that upset me. Now I've learned to stay in peace, that God's order in my steps, that I'm at the right place at the right time. Are you trying to pray away what God is wanting to use to refine you?

Instead of trying to change everything, why don't you pray God, help me to change. help me to come up higher, to be more patient, to overlook the offense, to not be jealous, to not let other people steal my joy. Sometimes the test is to be good to someone that's not being good to you. It's easy to treat people the way they treat us. They're rude to us. We're going to be rude to them. They put us down.

We're going to put them down. They stabbed me in the back at work. I'm going to get revenge. But if you're going to reach your destiny, you have to be the bigger person. Let God fight your battles. If you sink down to their level, get baited into conflict, revengeful, paying people back, then God can't trust you with more influence. That's a test. Prove to God that you'll stay on the high road. Be an eagle and rise above it. This is what David did. He was one of King Saul's main armor bearers. When Saul wasn't feeling well,

David would come in and play the harp, Saul would get better. Saul was jealous of David. He could see the favor on his life. Instead of being happy for him, he let that jealousy get stronger and stronger, made him bitter toward David. One day, while David was playing the harp,

being good to Saul, saw through a spear and barely missed David. Here David was doing the right thing, trying to help Saul, but Saul was trying to kill him. David could have fought back, tried to get even, but he knew Saul had been anointed king. He respected the authority he was under. So he ran in the desert. Saul came chasing after him. At one point, David found Saul and all of his

men asleep. It was David's big chance to get even, to pay him back. In one moment, he could take Saul out, but he wouldn't do it. When Saul found out how David spared his life, he wept, said David, you're a better man than me. The reason God could trust David with so much influence, honor, resources, is he kept passing the test. All these times, he was under great pressure where he could have done what he felt like, told Saul off, got revenge, made his life miserable, David wouldn't do it. He took the high road. He let God fight his battles. He was kind to someone that wasn't kind to him. When you treat people right that don't treat you right, you're proving to God that you can handle more influence, more responsibility. This is a major test because most of us will be good to people

that are good to us. But to go where God wants you to go, you have to be good to people that are not good to you. When you let God refine you, you don't let the offense get in. You don't live thinking about paying people back, but you stay in peace, you're going to see God's favor and blessing in great ways. And don't be surprised if you find yourself in situations that are not fair. People that didn't keep their word. They played politics, made you look bad. They betrayed you. You have every right to get even. Your flesh says, do to them what they did to you. No, pass the test. Be a David. That's God seeing what you're making. You're made. You're not. You're made of. It's easy to tell people off. It's easy to be rude when someone's rude to you,

but that will keep you at the same place. God wants to take you higher to places that you've never seen. He'll allow you to be uncomfortable. The scripture calls it the fiery challenge is to test your quality. Sometimes God will put you in the middle of the fire. In that pressure, impurities will come out. Revenge. Two can play at this game. pride. I don't have to put up with this. Sarcasm. You really think you're that hot? No, stay in peace. Let God fight your battles. The psalmist said, remain calm in times of adversity. That's passing the test. That's what allows God to take you where you've never dreamed. But all these people at work get on my nerves. I've been praying for God to move them out.

Have you ever thought about maybe God has you there on purpose? Maybe that's a test. If he removed everything uncomfortable, you would never grow. Instead of being sour, why don't you try a different approach and keep a good attitude? My spouse aggravates me. She knows just what buttons to push. That's why I say things I shouldn't. That's why I get upset. No, that's a test of your character.

In that fire, impurities are coming out. Under pressure, you're seeing what's in you. Next time that happens, respond a different way. Proverbs 21 says, if you'll keep your mouth closed, you'll stay out of trouble. One way to pass the test is real simple, keep your mouth closed. Quit letting your emotions control your mouth. Your tongue can start World War III. Your tongue can get you fired.

Your tongue can have you sleeping on the couch at night. Next time you feel like saying something hurtful, disrespectful, telling someone off, take a deep breath. pause for 10 seconds. Under your breath, God help me to control my tongue. Help me to pass this test. If you'll keep your mouth closed, the next time it will be a little easier. The next time easier.

Don't go year after year responding the same way. That's an opportunity to grow. You can change. You don't have to be sarcastic. Say hurtful, critical words that wound people, bring strife, conflict. What if my spouse doesn't change? If you'll change, they'll change. Sometimes we're waiting for the other person to move first.

Then we'll do better. You have to be the bigger person. You be the one to keep your mouth closed. You be the one to walk away from conflict. You be the one to pass the test. The scripture says in a house, there are vessels of wood and clay for ordinary use. But there are vessels of gold for God's highest purposes. We can stay vessels of wood and clay.

That's fine. We're still God's creation. He made us. We can live with these impurities, still make it through life. But I'm not talking about just making it through. I'm talking about seeing the greatness God put in you. Being a vessel of gold,

used for God's highest purposes. That's what happens when we keep letting God refine us. We keep dealing with what he brings to light. You can't rebuke everything you do. don't like. You can't pray away every grouchy person, the delays, the clerk that's rude, the spouse that gets on your nerves, those are tests. They may not change, but you can change. Now, key to seeing God's best is to stay pliable. Walk in humility, be willing to change. What can you do to get along better in relationships? What improvements can you make? Not your spouse, your

loss, your children. What areas can you come up higher in to have better relationships? Don't pray for God to change someone else without first praying. God, show me where I need to change. I used to play basketball at the YMCA. And when I'd come home after playing a couple of hours, full court, high intensity, I'd be really sweaty. The closest sink from the back door was the kitchen sink. I'd always stop and wash my hands. Well, Victoria didn't like me using the kitchen sink when I was so sweaty. She didn't want that around all the food. She asked me not to wash my hands there.

It was a small thing. No big deal. Use the other sink. That makes sense. But it's funny how we can come up with excuses. That was a reasonable request. But I thought of all the reasons why I shouldn't do it. This is the closest sink.

I don't want to walk to that other sink. Here I've just run up and down the court for two hours. now I don't want to walk another 30 feet. Sometimes pride can blind us. We can come up with lame excuses to not do what we know we should do. My mind kept going. This is my house too. That is not right that I cannot use that sink.

I think about it now and it seems so strange. What was the big deal? But sometimes we're just being contentious. We just warn our way. Our pride says I can do what I want to do. I would wash my hands there from time to time. Joel, please use the other saint. Victoria, it's not hurting anything. I'm not contaminating the food. Sometimes the test is to just honor your wife, honor your husband, to be good to the people

God put in your life. How can God trust you to lead others if you don't treat your own family with respect? How could he trust David to lead the Israelites if he was in honorable to King Saul? Maybe it's just a test to see how obedient you'll be, whether you'll do the right thing when it's a small thing, whether you'll go the extra mile when you don't think it's fair. This is the difference between being a vessel of wood for ordinary use or being a vessel of honor for God's highest purposes. One day I came home from playing basketball and Victoria wasn't there. She was out running errands. I thought, oh, great, I'll go in the kitchen.

She won't see me. Nobody will know. I was about to wash my hands and I heard this voice down in here saying, Joel, when are you going to start honoring your wife and not wash your hands here? I thought, is that you, Lord? She couldn't see me, but the one who matters could see me. He controls the universe. It's not always the big things that are keeping us from God's best. It's the small things.

If I can't honor my wife, show respect by doing a small thing, how can God's, God trust me to lead Lakewood. Don't let a small thing keep you from your greatness. How we treat people matters. You can't be harsh, contentious, hard to get along with, and reach your potential.

The scripture says, husbands, if we're not treating our wife right, then our prayers will be hindered. You shouldn't treat anyone better than you treat your own family. Be kind, loving, respectful. Paul said in Colossians, whatever you do, do it under God and not under people.

Sometimes there are things we don't feel like doing. Doesn't seem fair. At work, you're not getting the credit. Someone's not treating you right. Why should you be kind to them? Why should you keep a good attitude? Why should you go the extra mile? God is saying, will you do it under me?

Will you keep your mouth closed for me? Will you be kind to that person that doesn't deserve it for me? Will you not wash your hands in that sink for me? Will you be your best at work for me? Do it under God. He's the one that matters. Promotion doesn't come from people. It comes from him. When you do the right thing when it's hard, you're passing the test. Like with David, you're going to go to levels that you've never imagined. God is getting you prepared now for the new things he has in store. Anytime you're going to go higher, your flesh has to go lower. God is going to require greater obedience,

things that you'd rather not have to deal with. But those tests are not there to stop you. That's a sign that God is refining you, getting you prepared for something greater. When these impurities come to light, don't push it down. That's just me. I've always been impatient.

I'm always contentious. I always wash my hands here. We always argue. I've always been jealous. No, make them. the adjustments, respond differently. You wouldn't be hearing this if God didn't have new levels in your future. That's why he's getting you prepared to handle the weight of glory. God told the Israelites, I led you into the wilderness for a purpose to test you and to prove you

to see if you'd keep my commands. Before you go into the promised land, there will be times of testing, times of proving, where you have to show God, you'll do the right thing when you don't feel like it. You'll keep a good attitude when it's not fair. You'll deal with the impurities that he brings to light. But when the Israelites came under pressure, they kept failing the test. They complained about the giants,

complained about the food, and complained that it was so hot. That group never made it into the promised land. What would have happened if they would have dealt with that negative complaining spirit? Instead of saying, these giants are too big. We're never going to make it.

They would have said, yes, the giants are big, but God, we know you're bigger. Yes, it's hot out here, but Lord, thank you for bringing us out of slavery. Thanks for making a way where we didn't see a way. They could have gone in, but they let these impurities keep them out. It wasn't God's fault.

He gave them chance after chance to change. But God is not going to make you do the right thing. He'll allow the pressure. show you what you need to deal with, but you have to do your part and be willing to change. Make the adjustments. Don't keep responding the same way. The delays, traffic, people that get on your nerves, that's not random. Those are opportunities to come up higher.

Those challenges are to test your quality. Now, my challenge is show God what you're made of. Prove to him that you can handle more influence, more favor, more responsibility, by passing the test. If you'll do this, I believe and declare new doors are going to open. Your relationships are going to get better. You will rise higher, accomplish dreams, and become all you were created to be. In Jesus' name.

And if you receive it, can you say amen? I'd like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins. come into my heart I make you my Lord and Savior if you prayed that simple prayer we believe you got born again

we'd love to send you some free information on your new walk with the Lord you text the number on the screen or go to the website I hope you'll get into a good Bible-based church and keep God first place