Joel Osteen Podcast - Staying On The Potter's Wheel | Joel Osteen

Episode Date: June 7, 2024

If you want to see promotion in your life, sometimes you'll have to go through a time of testing first. The way to pass the test is to keep a good attitude and stay in faith. What God promised is still on the way.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.It’s Time to Dream Again. The dreams God has placed deep inside of you are powerful indicators of what He created you to be and do in this life. Our June offer will help you get your dream back and rediscover the deepest desires of your heart. Request your copy today, https://bit.ly/3V83i66.   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 20-24, healthy, productive, and favor-filled. God bless you today and enjoy the message. God bless you. It is always a joy to come into your homes each week, and we know that God has good things in store for you. When you delight yourself in the Lord, God will give you the desires of your heart. That's what we're believing for each one of you.

If you're ever in our area, I hope you'll come out and be a part of one of our services. We give you a personal invitation, and I promise you it will make you feel right at home. But we're so glad to have you with us today. I like to get started each week with something kind of funny. One day up in heaven, God told the men, I want you to form two lines. One line is for all the men who were the head of your house. And the other line is for the men who let the woman be the head of the house. and the line where the woman ran the house was a hundred miles long,

the other line only had one person in it. And God said, men, look at you, I'm ashamed. I made you to be the head, but only one man stood up to make me proud. God turned to him and said, Son, tell him, how did you manage to be the only one in this line? The man looked confused and said, I don't know. My wife told me to stand here. 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. We've been talking about embracing the place where we are and not fighting against everything that doesn't go our way.

we cannot pray away every uncomfortable situation. God uses the difficulties to do a work in us. And some of the things that are uncomfortable in your life right now, if God were to remove them, you wouldn't be prepared for the promotion that he has in store. God is using that to develop your character and to get you prepared for greater things. And any time we're going to be promoted,

any time we're going to go to a new level, there's going to be a time of testing. You don't get promoted without first passing the test. And so if you're in a difficult situation today, things are not happening as fast as you would like. You're working around people that get on your nerves or you're giving but not seeing any increase. You have to recognize that's a test of your faith.

And the way to pass the test is to keep a good attitude, forgive your enemies, be kind when you feel, feel like chewing somebody out? Be patient, even though it's taken longer than you would like. God uses the difficulties to make us and to mold us. And it always helps me to remember that God is on the throne. And he can remove anything anytime he wants to. He's God.

It's up to me to simply trust him enough to know that at the right time, when I'm ready, he will change things. And the Bible talks about how God is the potter and we are the clay. And most of us, we start off as an old hard lump of clay. We're impatient, selfish, self-centered. We want our way all the time. That's just the nature that we're born with. And it's up to each one of us to work with God

and let him refine us, let him get these impurities out. We have to stay pliable and moldable. And as odd as this may sound, trials are beneficial. They bring delight impurities in our character. They bring to light things that would normally stay hidden unless a little pressure was applied. And we'll really never know what we're like until we go through a time of testing. You can't develop patience without being in a situation where you have to wait.

You'll never really learn to trust God without being in a situation that you don't quite understand. And I'm challenging us today to stay on the potter's will. And when things come to light that you know or not right, be willing to change. be willing to work with God so you can come up to a higher level. I think about with the compact center, it took us over three and a half years to acquire this facility. We had to pray, we had to trust, we had to keep a good attitude day in and day out. The interesting thing is God could have given us this building the first week. After all, he's God.

Or he could have at least given it to us after a year. Man, that would have been so much easier. Would have saved me a lot of time and energy? but no, God was doing a work in me. I was learning to trust him in a greater way. My character was being developed. Some things you can't get overnight. Some things take time. And I was developing a trust and a confidence that only comes from going through some things. And we can say all day long, God, I trust you, but really talk is cheap. God's going to give us a test to see what we're really made of. And understand, God knows our future.

He knows exactly what you're going to need in the days up ahead. And the scripture says in Exodus 13 that God didn't lead the children of Israel the easiest way to the promised land. He took them the long way on purpose because they were not prepared for war. And in the same way, sometimes God's going to take us the long way on purpose so he can do a work in us. That simply means God's not going to answer every prayer overnight. He's not going to remove every difficult person from our lives. If he did, we wouldn't be prepared for what he had in store. And so I'm asking you today to quit complaining about how long something is taken.

Quit being discouraged because you're in an uncomfortable situation. Really, you should be encouraged. Or at least you should be challenged knowing that that's a test of your faith. And when you pass that test, promotion is on its way. You're going to see a new level of God's blessings in favor. It's kind of funny. After two years, we won the final city council vote that we needed. And that gave us this facility for the next 60 years.

And I was so relieved and so excited. I took a week off with my family and we went away just to celebrate the victory. Now, I'll never forget, I was sitting on the beach, and my brother-in-law, Kevin called. He said, Joel, I hate to tell you this, but we did. just got word that a company has filed a lawsuit to try to keep us from moving into the compact center. And do you know it was another year and a half before we finally settled that situation? And I had to keep reminding myself, even though I don't like this, even though I'm uncomfortable, I know God is still in control and I'm growing, I'm getting stronger,

God's getting me prepared for greater things. And once you go through a few things like that, you've got something on the inside that nobody can take away. You've got a trust and a confidence that only comes from experience. I don't believe that I'd be standing here today if I had not allowed God to do the work in me. If I'd gotten frustrated, impatient, God, I don't understand it, then God couldn't trust me with this position. He has to develop our character first.

We have to be willing to go through some things. Let God purify you. you. Let him refine you. When these things come to light that you know we're not right, unforgiveness, bad attitudes, quick temper, self-pity, impatience, just deal with it. Say, God, I know I'm in a hurry and I can see that you're not, so I'm just going to relax and trust you. Oh God, these people didn't do me right and I don't feel like it, but I'm going to take the high road and forgive them anyway. See, quit fighting against everything in your life. is still in control.

And if you allow him, he'll use every single thing that comes against you to do a work in you. The scripture says there in 1. Peter 4 verse 12, don't be amazed at the fiery trial that is taken place to test

your quality. Notice the trial is to test your character. It's a test of your quality. Nothing brings out the impurities in our character. any quicker than difficulty. We can all be kind to people when they're being kind to us, but what about when somebody jumps down your throat for no reason at all? Human nature wants to give

them a peace of our mind. No, that's a test. When you feel yourself getting angry, when you feel yourself wanting to be rude back to them, why don't you dig a little deeper? Stay calm. Keep you cool. When you do that, you just pass the test and you're one step closer to promotion. And I've found we're going to be tested in the areas that we struggle with the most, in the areas where we have the greatest need. For instance, if you have a problem with jealousy, God's going to make sure that you see everybody around you that has more than you do.

He'll make sure your long-lost cousin calls you to tell you how they just won the lottery. God will put you right there in the middle of the fire to see what you're going to do. If you have a problem with being patient, don't be surprised if you get behind every slow driver in the city of you. you'll find every freeway that has construction, every traffic light that's messed up.

And understand, it's not a coincidence that you're ending up there. That's God trying to do a work in you. And if you will change, then the circumstances will change. A couple of Friday nights ago, Victoria and I were supposed to be somewhere at 7.30. And we left with just enough time to make it. I was in a big hurry. I didn't want to be late. And I knew if I could catch every light just right.

We could still be there on time. But wouldn't you know it, I got caught by this train. And I told Victoria, I have never seen a train here at this time of day in all of my life. And I was just certain that was the enemy trying to delay me. And so under my breath I was praying, rebukeing, resisting, binding, loosen. It seemed like the more I prayed, the worse it got. And we just sat there and sat there and sat there. And I could feel myself trying to get agitated and upset and did my best.

not to show it. Roll the window down, smiled, started humming. But I noticed, to me, it looked like the train was slowing down. I said, hey, Victoria, is it my imagination, or is this train getting slower? She said, I think you're right. It's getting slower. And sure enough, it got slower and slower. Finally, it came to a stop. By then it was taking everything in me to not get upset, to not start complaining. And just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, that train started backing up. I said, I rebuke you, devil. Told Victoria, at this rate, we're not going to be at church Sunday morning. And it kept backing up.

A few minutes later, it reversed. And I could finally see the end of it. And I was so relieved. I was so anxious to go. But about that time, I heard this loud horn. I thought, what in the world is that? They don't usually blow the horn at the end. And just as I could see the caboose,

do you know, another train came on the other side of the track? I didn't even know there were two sets of tracks there. Finally, I decided to just lighten up. I said, God, I'm not going to get upset. You're still in control, and I must need this, or you wouldn't have me here. But we have to realize situations like that are simply test. They bring to light areas that we need to work in. You can't get patience by just praying for it.

You get patience by having to wait. You laugh at me, but God's going to tempt you and test you in the same areas where you have problems. If you're a touchy person, maybe you're always. getting your feelings hurt, well, God's going to put you in situations where people are going to rub you the wrong way. He is not going to protect you from every offense just because you're touching. Now, I found God will do just the opposite. He will keep working with you and giving you opportunities to come up higher. See, God loves you too much to just leave you alone. He knows your potential. And so he's going to do his best to keep you on the potter's will. If you have the problem with your

temper, God's going to put you in situations where you're tested. The next time you're tempted to get upset, you need to remind yourself, hey, this is only a test. This is God giving me an opportunity to come up higher. And if you'll just dig your heels in and exercise a little self-control, you will pass that test. And the good news is the next test will be a little easier. And the next one a little easier. What's happening? God's refining you. He's making you, molding you. But some of you lose. You your joy over the smallest things. You can't find your car keys in the morning, somebody parked in your parking space, or you had to work late one night. It just ruins the whole day. You're always praying that everything would go away. But if you're not careful, you'll miss the very

reason that God allowed you to be in that situation. You need to look inside, examine your heart, and see if there are issues that you need to deal with. And it's good in situations like that to just say, God, help me to learn what you want me to learn in this. situation. Let's don't be like the children of Israel. And because they wouldn't quit complaining, because they had a sour attitude, they kept going around the same mountain year after year after year. It took them 40 years to make an 11-day journey. A lot of times we hear that and we think, man, they were some stubborn people. They were some hard-headed people. But the fact is, and I say it with a smile, some of us have been going around the same mountain, 10 years, 20 years, 30 years. And by that I mean,

Bad attitudes, negative, critical, impatient, unforgiveness. No, it's time for us to go up higher. Let's start passing those tests so that we can enter into our promised land. And really, we should not be dealing with the same issues that we dealt with five years ago. We should have a better attitude than we had last year. We should be more loving, more patient, more kind. We shouldn't get up at set as easily. And if you're still getting upset every time things don't go your way,

it's time to grow up. If you're still dealing with things that you dealt with five or ten years ago, please make a decision that starting today, you're going to make some changes. Recognize what's happening. That's God trying to promote you. I believe that every one of us can come up higher in some area. And I'm asking us to stay on the potter's will so that we can become all that God's created us to be. I see too many people that get stuck.

Well, Joel, I'm just a negative person. I can't help it. I'm just critical, I'm just impatient. Got these addictions, I can't help it. No, really, you can help it. Because God has promised he will not allow more to come on you than you can handle. He knows just how much pressure to apply. He knows just how much you can take.

And the scripture goes on to say, with every test, with every temptation, God will always make a way of escape. That simply means God will always give you the strength to overcome. So the next time you're tempted to get upset, you've got to just remind yourself, no, I've got the power to keep my cool. Next time you're tempted to complain, nope, I got the power to keep my mouth shut. Next time you're tempted to be impatient, no, I've got the power to wait here with a good attitude. See, you've got to quit telling yourself you can't do it. You can do all things through Christ.

You have the power of the most high God on the inside of you. Why don't you dig your heels in and start passing those tests? I think about David. Samuel anointed him to be the next king of Israel. But he had to go through a time of testing before any of that came to pass. King Saul was so jealous of him, he tried to kill him.

Saul chased him month after month after month through the wilderness, through the caves, through the mountains. One time, David had a chance to put an end to it all. He saw Saul and all of his men over there sleeping, and he could have easily killed them but David wouldn't do it. He knew he had to stay under that authority with a good attitude and let God deliver him in his timetable in his own way. Why did it take so long? God was doing a work in David.

God was getting him prepared. And David could have easily failed the test. He could have said, God just said I was going to be king. Why is this guy giving me a hard time? No, he just kept doing the right thing, even though the wrong thing happened to him. And sure enough, after he, He passed the test. God promoted him. And he became, of course, one of the great kings in all of Israel. And you may have somebody in your life right now that's not treating you right. Somebody that gets on your nerves, somebody that's doing unfair things.

You're bound and determined to get rid of them, man. I don't have to put up with this. But no, you can't just necessarily pray that away. Understand that is a test of your faith. And God uses people like that as sandpaper. to rub the rough edges off of you. Sometimes we have to have a saw in our life to get the soul out of us.

We'll never learn to love our enemies without having somebody in our life that's hard to get along with. It may be a boss that's not treating you right. He's condescending. He asks you to do things that you shouldn't have to do. Well, you need to view that as a test. And really, you should do it with a good attitude,

not necessarily for him, do it under God. Do it so you can rise up higher. And instead of getting mad at him and living all upset, you need to just look at him and smile and say, you know what, God's really using you in my life. You don't have to tell him what for, but, you know, it's probably not a good idea to say, you know what, God's using you, you old grouchy thing. But God will deliberately put us in situations that we don't like so that these impurities can come out and hopefully we will deal with them. I told you, the biggest thing I struggle with is being in a hurry, not being patient enough, not wanting to wait.

And it's interesting, the more impatient I am, the more situations I find myself where I have to wait around. If I'm in a hurry to get out of the grocery store, inevitably, I'm going to get in the line with the slowest clerk. First day on the job, a person in front of me has 23 items that don't have a price tag on it. Seems like the more in a hurry I get, the more in a hurry I get, the more in a moment. impatient I am, the longer it takes Victoria to get dressed in the morning.

She doesn't even know it, but God's using her. And now that you know it, don't do it on purpose. But a lot of times we think, man, that's just an attack of the enemy. I don't have to put up with that. No, that's not an attack of the enemy. That's God attacking my problem of impatience. That's God

trying to do a work in me so that I can come up higher. And I've found that if I will change, then my circumstance. says, well, change. But we have to recognize what's happening. We're on the potter's will. God is making us and molding us.

He'll spin us around and around, and maybe he comes across a lump of unforgiveness. He'll stop and work with it and try to get that out. The way he does it is he'll put us in a situation where somebody offends us. Then God will step back to see what we're going to do.

If we forgive and just let it go and keep a good attitude, then we pass the test, and we're one step closer to promotion. God will put us back on the wheel and spin us around a little more and maybe he comes across a lump of anger. And so he'll put us in a situation to test our temper. Maybe you find yourself in a crowded parking lot. You're patiently waiting for this car to back out so you can get to space. You've clearly got your blinker on. You're doing your best to keep a good attitude, but the lady is taken forever. She can't find her car keys. She's got to buckle in three children.

put her groceries in the trunk, check her tire pressure, change her oil, freshen up her makeup. Five minutes later, she decides to back out. But just as she does, somebody beats you to that parking space. You're so aggravated. You want to give them a peace of your mind. Well, that's a test. Are you going to pass it and do what the Bible says?

Be angry and sin not. Or are you just going to do what you feel like doing and go over there and let the air out of their tires? Well, you say, Joel, it's hard. Yeah, God's leading you the hard way on purpose so he can get you prepared. He's got great things in store for your life. But he first has to get these impurities out. And the way he does this is by putting us through these tests.

The scripture says, our faith is being tried in the fire of affliction, just as fire tests and refines gold. Some of you right now, you're in that refiners fire. You're in a difficult situation. You don't like it. You don't think it's fair. But let me just encourage you. If you will keep the right attitude and keep pressing forward,

you're going to come out of that refined, purified, stronger, better off than you were before. I heard about this couple that loved to go shopping for antiques. One day they were in this small country store, and they looked up on the shelf, and they saw the most beautiful teacup that they had ever seen. They just fell in love with it. They knew they had to buy it. And as they stood there, admiring that beautiful piece of work, the teacup began to talk. It said, you know what? I didn't always look like this. There was a time when nobody wanted me.

There was a time when I wasn't attractive at all. You see, I was just an old lump of clay. But one day, this potter came along, and he began to pat me, inform me, and mold me. And I said, hey, what are you doing? That hurts. I'm uncomfortable. Leave me alone. And the potter simply smiled and said, not yet. Then he put me on this wheel, and he began to spin me around and around. And I'm telling you, I didn't like it. I got all dizzy. But eventually, I took on a different shape. He formed me into this teacup. And I thought that he was through with me, but all of a sudden he put me into a furnace. And it was so hot in there, I couldn't stand.

I thought I was going to die. And when he came to check on me, he looked through the glass window of the furnace. And he had a certain sparkle in his eyes, and I screamed out, hey, let me out of here. And he just smiled and said, not yet. Finally, after a long time, he took me

out and put me on the shelf. I thought, thank God it's finally over. Now I can get back to be in my normal self. But then the potter came back over, and he began to paint me with this sticky paint. I didn't like it. It's smelled terrible. I thought it was going to choke. And I told him to leave me alone. But again,

he said, not yet. Then he put me into a second oven that was twice as hot as the first one. This time, I thought for sure it was all over. This time, I thought it was the end of me. When he came to check on me, I said, listen, I'm serious. I can't take this anymore. But once again, he just smiled and said, not yet. Finally, he took me out a couple of days later after I had cooled off. He came by and handed me a mirror. And when I looked in that mirror, I couldn't believe how beautiful I was. I couldn't believe how much I had changed.

I didn't look anything like that old hard lump of clay that I started out to be. Now I'm this beautiful teacup, and everybody wants me. But always remember, there was a time when nobody wanted me. But now all because of the potter, I'm valuable.

He made something special. out of my life. And really, that's the way God works in every one of our lives. He is changing us little by little from glory to glory. But on the way to some of these glories, there's going to be some suffering that we have to endure. We may not like it. We may be uncomfortable. There are going to be times we say with that teacup, get me off of this potter's will. God, I can't take it anymore. But you know what God's going to do? He's going to smile and say not yet. See, God knows your value. He knows what he's forming you into. You may not be able to see it right now, but God can see it. You may look at your life and think, man, Joel,

I've made so many mistakes. I'm so undisciplined. I'm impatient. I've got bad habits. But listen, God is never going to give up on you. He is a God of second chances. And if you will simply work with God and allow him to get some of these impurities out, then he'll make more out of your life than you've ever even dreamed of. And so my challenge to you today is to stay on the potter's will with a good attitude. Recognize the test is an opportunity to come up higher. God will use everything that comes into your life, every person that's hard to deal with, every traffic jam, every time you don't get you away, those are opportunities to be refined.

Quit fighting everything. Quit losing your joy, quit losing your peace. God is purifying you. He's molding you into the image of Christ. And if you will just do your part and stay pliable. And when things come up, don't ignore it. Be willing to change. If you do that, you won't be at the same place next year as you are right now.

You'll have a better attitude. You'll be more patient. You'll be more loving. You'll be more kind. And as you continue to pass these tests, God promises that he will mold you into a vessel of honor. And he'll use you for his very high. highest purposes. Amen. Do you receive it today? But I know you do. We never like to close our broadcast

without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make you my Lord and Savior. Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in a good Bible-based church. Keep God first place. He's going to take your places that you've never dreamed of. God has put a specific dream in your heart. Maybe it's a dream for a better career, a blessing that enables you to bless others, to be in a healthy, loving relationship, to launch your own business or ministry endeavor. We all have dreams, but sometimes setbacks and opposition can rob us of our dreams. So how do you make your dreams a reality? One way you know it's a God-given dream is you can't accomplish it on

your own. We never thought we'd be having church in a former basketball arena, but this is what can happen when you take the limits off of God. When you believe what God put in your heart, that's when he steps in and makes ways where you never saw ways. I'd love to send you my newest book, It's Time to Dream Again. It'll help you to hold on to what God promised and not get discouraged by how impossible it looks or how long it's taking. You are closer than you think. God's working behind the scenes right now. Stay in faith.

You're going to see the greatness of God bring your dreams to pass. As our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount to the ministry this month, Joel and Victoria would like to send you this dream-releasing, life-affirming book. It's time to dream again. You might sense that your dreams have been buried.

But with this book, you'll see that they are actually a hidden treasure, just waiting to be uncovered and come to life. God's plan for you is significant. His dreams for you are beyond what you could imagine. Don't wait another day. It's time to dream again. This book will help you gain a fresh perspective for your dreams and to believe for everything God is put in your heart. Victoria and I pray for you and your family every day.

Thank you so much for your prayer and support, your generosity, is making a difference around the world. Remember, you can watch the services live online every Sunday, download the daily podcast or our YouTube channel, listen on SiriusXM. We will keep you encouraged and inspired. But until we meet again, may the Lord bless you and keep you.

Be sure to request your copy of It's Time to Dream Again. Today, visit Joel Osteen.com or call 888-567, Joel.