Joel Osteen Podcast - Say So

Episode Date: January 16, 2019

In this message, Joel will remind you of the power of your confession. Psalm 107:2 says, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.” It doesn’t say let the redeemed think so, believe so or hope so. You’ve got to take it one step further and say so.----Visit https://joelosteen.com to receive daily updates and encouragement from Joel Osteen.----Have you followed Joel Osteen on Instagram? https://instagram.com/joelosteen. 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.

No one likes to talk about money. Am I saving enough? Can I buy a house? Am I paying too much in taxes? Will I be able to retire? What if you could unlock insights about your finances in less than five minutes with a clear picture of where you stand today and where your money can work harder? Now you can.

Visit facet.com to take the free quiz and get your financial wellness score today. That's facet.com. This ad is sponsored by Facet Wealth Incorporated is an SEC registered investment advisor. This is not an offer to buy or sell securities, nor is an investment, legal, or tax advice. You're ready for a comeback. And with Purdue Global, you can do more than take classes. You can take charge of your story, of your career, of your life. Earn a degree you can be proud of and get an education employer's respect.

It's time, your time, not just to go back to school, but to come back and move forward with Purdue Global. Purdue's online university for working adults. Start your comeback at PurdueGlobal.edu. He'll forget about the video game you gave him on his birthday. Wow, thanks, Grandpa. But he'll never forget how you invested in his future with the UNST app. Wow, thanks, Grandpa. The UNST app makes it easy for grandparents and family friends

to give funds to a child's investment account for limited time. Download the UNEST app and use the code IHeart50 at sign up to receive a $50 bonus when you fund your account. That's code IHeart50 when you sign up at UNEST.co for a $50 bonus. See Terms and Conditions at UNS dot. See you. Hi, this is Joel. On Wednesdays, we bring you the best of. I hope you enjoy the podcast. Well, God bless you. It's always a joy to come into your homes. And if you're ever in our area, please stop by and be a part of one of our services. These are the finest people in all of

Houston, Texas, right here at Lakewood. We'd love to have you. But thanks for tuning in today. And thank you again for coming out. I like to start with something funny. And I heard about this new police recruit. He was taking his final exam. He was in front of this large classroom. The sergeant asked him, what would you do if you had to arrest your own mother-in-law? Without missing a beat, he said, call for backup. 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 say so. Words have creative power. When you speak

something out, you give life to what you're saying. It's one thing to believe that you're blessed. That's important. But when you say I am blessed, it takes on a whole new meaning. That's when blessings come looking for you. The scripture says, let the redeemed of the Lord say so. Doesn't say let the redeemed think so or believe so or hope so. That's all good, but you have to take it one step further and say so. If you're going to go to the next level, you've got to say so. If you're going to accomplish a dream, overcome an obstacle, break an addiction,

you've got to start declaring it. It has to come out of your mouth. That's how you give life to your faith. When God created the worlds, he didn't just think them into being. He didn't just believe there would be light and land and oceans and animals. He had it in his heart,

but nothing happened until he spoke. He said, let there be light, and light came. His thoughts didn't set it into most. His words set it into motion. It's the same principle today. You can believe all day long and not see anything happen. You can have faith in your heart. Big dreams, be standing on God's promises, and never see anything change. What's the problem? Nothing happens until you speak. Instead of just believing you're going to get out of debt, you've got to say so. Declare every day, I'm coming. I'm coming. out of debt. I'm the head and not the tell. God's favor surrounds me like a shield. When you speak, just like when God spoke, things begin to happen. Opportunities will find you. Good breaks, promotion, ideas will track you down. Instead of just thinking, I hope I get over this illness. Joel, I'm praying I'll get better. That's good. But you've got to take it one more step and start declaring it.

I'm strong. I'm healthy. I will live and not die. With long life, God is going to satisfy me. That's what activates your faith. Instead of just hoping you have a good year, instead of just hoping that you accomplish your dreams, hope is good, but nothing happens until you speak. Before you leave the house every day, declare it. 2013 is my year. Things have shifted in my favor. God is about to show me something that I've never seen. When you talk like that, the angels go to work, opening up new doors, lining up the right people, arranging things in your favor. And all of us are hoping, believing, praying about something. My question today is, are you giving life to your faith

by speaking it out? Psalm 91 says, I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge, my fortress, my shield. The next verse says, he will deliver me, protect me, cover me. Notice the connection, I will say and he will do. Doesn't say, I believe he's my refuge. I believe he'll be my strength. No, the psalmist went around declaring it, speaking it out, the Lord is my refuge, the Lord is my strength. Notice what happened.

God became his refuge, his strength. God was saying in effect, if you're bold enough to speak it, then I'm bold enough to do it. Have you ever declared that your dreams are coming to pass? Have you ever said, I will pay off my house. I will start my own business. I will get my degree. I will lose this weight. I will see my family restored.

Whatever God's put in your heart, it needs to get in your conversation. talk like it's going to happen. Talk like it's already on the way. When I get married, when I graduate from college, when I see my family restored. Not if it's going to happen, but when it's going to happen. That's your faith being released. One of our staff members had been trying for a long, long time to have a baby over 10 years. No success. One day we were in a staff meeting planning out the next year. She made the statement, When I have my baby, I'm going to be out for a couple of months. We'll have to find somebody to fill in. Well, I thought she was pregnant and nobody had told me. So I didn't act surprised or say anything. After the meeting, my sister Lisa was in there as well. I said, Lisa, why didn't you tell me she was pregnant?

She said, Joel, she's not pregnant. She just talks like it's going to happen. This went on for years when I have my baby, when I get pregnant. When my child shows up. What was she doing? Saying so. She didn't just believe it. She was declaring it.

In the natural, she was getting too old to have a baby. Her doctors told her it wasn't going to happen. Looked impossible. Most people would have given up and accepted it, but not this lady. She kept saying so. Kept declaring it when my baby shows up. Do you know 20 years later, she gave birth, not to one baby, but to two, she had twins. She declared of the Lord, and God did what he promised.

But think about the opposite of Psalm 91. I will not say of the Lord, and he will not do. That's the principle. Nothing happens until you speak. When we were trying to acquire this facility, Victoria and I would drive around it night after night and say, that's our building. Father, thank you for fighting our battles. Lord, thank you that you're making a way where we don't see a way. We didn't just think about it, pray about it, believe that it would happen, and that's all important. But we took one more step and declared that it was ours. It became a part of our everyday conversation at the dinner table.

When we get the compact center, we could do this. When we renovated, when we move in, when we have the grand opening. not, I don't know, Victoria. It's going to be very expensive. Where are we going to get the funds? I don't know. The opponents, they're really, really strong. No, we said of the Lord like the psalmist.

God, we know you're bigger than any obstacle. We know you're supplying all of our needs. Lord, we know if you be for us, who dare be against us? We declared it, and God did it. What are you saying of the Lord? Joel, my problems are really big today. My dreams look impossible. My marriage is so messed up.

We'll never be restored. No, don't talk about how big your problem is. Talk about how big your God is. When you say of the Lord, you're my healer, my waymaker, my dream giver, my restorer, my vindicator, my health, my peace, my victory. That's when God will show up and do more than you can ask her thing. I have some friends that were believing to have another child. They have a daughter, but they really wanted to have a son.

Every time the wife got pregnant, she had a miscarriage. This happened five times in nine years. They were very discouraged, tempted to give up. The man's name is Joe. He'd gone by Joe his whole life. But one day he read where his full name, Joseph, means God will add. when he saw that, something came alive on the inside. He knew God was saying, I'm going to add to you a son.

He remembered the story in the scripture where God changed Abram's name to Abraham, which means father of many nations. God gave Abraham a child, a son at a very old age when it looked impossible. Joe decided to go back to using his original name. He told his family, his friends, coworkers, don't call me Joe anymore. Call me Joseph. They thought he was having a midlife crisis. But every time someone said, hello Joseph, they were saying God will add.

They were speaking victory over his life. He kept saying so, declaring it. About six months later, his wife became pregnant with a baby boy. For the first time in 10 years, she carried him full term. The baby was born healthy and whole. And as a testimony to God's goodness, they named that little boy Joseph. God will add. Well, let me ask you, are you declaring victory over your life, over your family, over your career?

Nothing happens until you speak. When you get up in the morning, you need to make some declarations of faith. Whatever God's put in your heart declare that it will come to pass. I say every day, I am increasing in the anointing, in wisdom, in favor, and in influence. Every message is getting better. God is taking our ministry where no ministry's ever gone. You've got to speak favor into your future. I declare every day, my children will fulfill their destinies, their gifts and talents will come out to the full. They will supersede anything that we've done. Ever since I took over from my father, I've said, when people turn me on, on television, they cannot turn me off.

Do you know how many letters I get from people that say, Joel, I was flipping through the channels. I don't like TV preachers. I never watched TV preachers, but when I turned you on, I couldn't turn you off. I think to myself, I called you in. I said so. One man wrote and told how his wife tried to get him to watch the program for many, many years, but he wouldn't do it.

One day he was flipping through the channels. He came across our program, and normally he would flip by it very quickly, but for some reason this day, his remote control stopped working, and he got stuck on our program. He was so frustrated. He finagled with it, ended up changing the batteries.

It still wouldn't work. He said, Joel, even though I tried to act like I wasn't listening, you were speaking directly to me. The funny thing is, when our program was over, the remote control went back to work and just fine. He said, now I never miss one of your programs. When you declare favor over your life, over your future, God will make things happen that should have never happened.

Our attitude should be, I'm coming out of debt and I'm saying so. 2013 is my year and I'm saying so. I will overcome every obstacle and I'm saying so. When I first started ministering, I was very nervous and very intimidated. I knew I was supposed to step up and pastor the church, but I'm naturally more quiet and reserved. I didn't know if I could get up here really and speak and minister in front of people. during the week, negative thoughts would bombard my mind.

I would go and stand in front of a mirror and talk to myself. I would say, Joel, you are strong. You are well able. You have what it takes. You are anointed. You are talented. You can do this. At that time, nothing that I was saying was true.

I was not strong or confident. I did not feel talented, anointed, well, label. But as I kept saying it, day after day, month after month, things started to change. I began to become what I was saying. Over time, it became a reality. Here's the key. What you keep saying, you are moving toward. You may be struggling in your finances, but when you keep declaring, I'm blessed, I'm prosperous. I have the favor of God. Every time you say it, you're moving toward increase. You're getting closer to seeing that come to pass.

You may be facing a sickness. It doesn't look good. But every time you declare, I'm healthy, I'm strong, I'm getting better, you're moving toward health, wholeness, victory. Or perhaps you're struggling with an addiction. Every time you declare, I am free, this addiction does not control me, you're moving toward freedom. You're moving toward breakthroughs.

Now here's the catch. This works in the positive and in the negative. If you're always saying, I am so unlucky, I never get any good breaks, you're moving toward bad breaks, more disappointment. Joel, my back's been hurting for three years. I don't think I'll ever get well. You're moving toward more sickness, more pain. Or I've been through so much. I don't think I'll ever be happy again.

moving toward more discouragement, more sadness. If you will change what you're saying, you will change what you're seeing. The scripture says, call the things that are not as if they already were. A lot of times we do just the opposite. We call the things that are as if they will always be that way. In other words, we just describe the situation. Man, gas is so high. I don't see how I'm going to make.

make it. You're calling in more struggle, more lack. I can't stand my job. My boss gets on my nerves. You're calling in more frustration, more defeat. Don't use your words to describe the situation. Use your words to change the situation. If I would have just complained about how nervous and intimidated I was, if I would have gone around saying, you know, I can't do this, I'm afraid, I don't have what it takes. If I would have described the situation, I wouldn't be standing here today. If you want to know

what you're going to be like five years from now, listen to what you're saying about yourself. You are prophesying your future. Five years from now, my messages are going to be better than they are right now. Don't you say thank God.

Five years from now, I'm going to be strong, stronger, healthier, wiser, better looking. Our daughter, Alexandra, had a copy of my first book from 10 years ago the other day, and a copy of my newest book. She was comparing the pictures on the cover. She said, wow, daddy, you look better today than you did 10 years ago. I said, what would you like me to buy you?

But do you know how many times I have said I'm getting stronger, healthier, wiser, my youth is being renewed like the Eagles. Every time you say it, you're moving toward it. But if you're always saying, man, I'm so out of shape, I'll never lose this way, you're moving toward the wrong thing. A gentleman told me last week, he looked to be about 70. Joel, when you get old, it's all downhill. That was his say-so.

He was declaring, I'm going down. He was calling in, poor health, lack of vision. hard of hearing. He keeps that up. He'll keep moving toward it. By the way he looked, he'd already been saying it for a long time. And I realize we're all going to get old. We're all eventually going to die, but don't make plans to go downhill. Don't start speaking defeat over your life. Moses was 120 years old and the scripture says his eye was not then. His natural strength, not abated. 120 healthy, strong,

2020 vision, didn't have glasses. Wasn't wearing a help I've fallen and I can't get up button around his chest. He had a clear memory, a strong, sharp mind. I know I'm going to get a letter on that one, but here's what I'm saying. In spite of how you feel, in spite of what's been passed down

in your family line, Every day you need to declare, everything about me is getting better and better. My bones, my joints, my ligaments, my blood, my organs, my memory, my vision, my hearing, my talent, my skill, my looks, my skin. My youth is being renewed. Like Moses, I will finish my course with my eye not dim, my natural strength not abated. You talk like that, you're moving toward renewed youth, health, energy, vitality. That's a lot better than getting up in the morning, looking in the mirror and saying, oh, man, I'm getting so old.

Look at these wrinkles. Look how bad I look. This gray hair, I'm so out of shape. You keep moving toward that. In five years, it's going to be scary. You need to have a better say-so. Don't talk about the way you are. talk about the way you want to be. You are prophesying

your future. Maybe you're in a difficult time today. Instead of complaining, that's just going to draw in more defeat. Your declaration should be, I have grace for this season. I am strong in the Lord. Those that are for me are greater than those that are against me. When you say that, strength comes, courage comes, confidence comes, endurance comes. You go through a disappointment, a bad break, a loss. I don't know how this has happened to me, Joel. It's so unfair. No, that's just going to draw in more self-pity. Your declaration should be, God promised me beauty for ashes, joy for mourning. I'm not staying here. I'm moving forward. New beginnings are in my future. The rest of my life will be the best of my life. You talk like that and you're moving towards. double for your trouble. You're moving away from self-pity and toward God's goodness in a new way. One of the best things we can do is take a few minutes every morning and make these positive

declarations over our lives. Write down not only your dreams, your goals, your vision, but make a list of any area you want to improve in. Anything you want to see change, put that list on your bathroom mirror, somewhere private, before you leave the house, take a couple of minutes and declare that over your life. In other words, if you struggle with your self-esteem, feeling less than, you need to declare every day, I am confident, I am valuable, I am one of a kind, I have royal blood flowing through my veins, I am wearing a crown of favor, I am a child of the most high God, you declare that, you'll go out with your shoulders back, with your head held high. You struggle with your weight.

Declare, I am in shape. I'm healthy. I'm full of energy. I weigh what I should weigh. May not be true right now, but you keep saying it and you're going to move toward it. Instead of living guilty, condemned, focused on past mistakes, no, declare, I am forgiven. I am redeemed.

I'm wearing a robe of righteousness. God is pleased with me. See, the scripture says, let the weak say I'm strong. It doesn't say let the weak talk about the weakness, discuss the weakness, call five friends and explain the weakness.

You cannot talk defeat and expect to have victory. You can't talk sickness and expect to have health. You can't talk lack and struggle and expect to have abundance. You've got to send your words out in the direction you want your life to go.

When you're in a tough time, somebody asks you how you're doing, don't go through a sad song of everything that's wrong in your life. Oh man, my back's been hurting. Traffic's so bad out today and ball sitting, treat me white, dishwasher broke, goldfish died, dog doesn't like me. All that's going to do is raw and more defeat. Turn it around, have a report of victory. How are you doing?

I'm blessed. I'm healthy. I'm prosperous. the favor of God. What you consistently talk about, you're moving toward. Proverbs 6 says, we are snared by the words of our mouth. Could it be if you would simply change what you're saying, you would see a dream come to pass, a breakthrough, a healing, restoration? That's what happened to a friend of mine. She had smoked cigarettes from an early age, and she'd tried again and again, but she just could not stop. She was constantly saying, I'll never break this addiction.

It's too hard. And even if I do, I know I will gain so much weight. This went on for years. One day someone told her what I'm telling you to change what she was saying, to call things that are not, as if they were. She started saying, I don't like to smoke. I can't stand the taste of nicotine, I'm going to quit and not gain any extra weight. She said that day after day. Even when she was smoking and enjoying it, she would say, I can't stand to smoke. She wasn't talking about the way she was. She was talking about the way she wanted to be. About three months later, one morning she noticed the cigarette tasted funny, almost bitter. She thought she got a bad pack, got worse and worse. Several months later,

it had gotten so bad she couldn't stand it anymore. She stopped smoking. And do you know she never gained one extra pound? Today she's totally free. She broke that addiction in part by the power of her words. She prophesied

her future. Some of you like her have spent years saying negative things over your life. I can't break this addiction, Joel. My marriage is never going to make it. I'll never get out of debt. No, you've got to send your words out in a new direction. You are prophesying the wrong thing. Get in a habit of making

these positive declarations over your life. Every day, declare that your dreams are coming to pass. It's not enough to just believe it. Nothing happens until you speak. Like the psalmist, when you say of the Lord, God will do what he promised. Let me lead you in a few of these declarations. today. Say it like you mean it. I am blessed. I am prosperous. I am strong. I am healthy. I am talented. I am creative. I am confident. I am secure. I am disciplined. I am focused. I am attractive. I am well liked. I have a good personality. The right people are in my future. The right opportunities are headed my way. I will accomplish my dreams. I will overcome every obstacle. 2013 is my year. Things have shifted in my favor. God is about to show me something that I've never seen.

It's going to be bigger, better, greater than I ever imagined. I am the redeemed of the Lord. And I say so today. In Jesus' name, amen and amen. 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. Thank you for listening to the Joel Osteen podcast. Help us continue to share the message of hope with those all over the world. Visit Joelosteen.com slash give hope to give a gift today. Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you.

I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you next time. Be a barbecue hero with delicious ultra low net carb, hero bread, buns, and tortillas. Soft and fluffy, high in fiber, and with zero grams of sugar and up to 10 grams of protein, coming in at under 100 calories per serving. Oh, and did I mention? they taste like their mouth-watering traditional versions. It's enough to have the neighbors asking for seconds.

Use code IHM-10 for 10% off your first hero-bred purchase at hero.co. That's code IHM-10 for 10% off at hero.com. More than ever before, people are turning to the church for their mental health struggles. Unfortunately, the church has largely been ill-equipped to help. That is until now. Join nearly 50,000 people just like you who've enrolled in the Mental Health Coach Training program and become equipped to help. For a limited time, apply for a full tuition scholarship and only pay a one-time tech fee

of $54 if accepted. Apply now at mentalhealthcoach.org. Again, that's mental healthcoach.org. Summer is here and our sleep is just as important as our weekend plans. So get the sleep you deserve with Lisa. For a limited time, save up to $700 off select mattresses plus two free pillows during our summer sale. Check out our hybrid mattress designed to keep you cool during those

hot summer nights. Lisa also offers free shipping and a risk-free 100-night trial. Get the sleep you deserve. Shop our summer sale now and save up to $700 off select mattresses, plus two free pillows at Lisa.com. That's L-E-E-E-S-A.com. Exclusions apply, visit Lisa.com for details.