Joel Osteen Podcast - Stir It Up

Episode Date: February 23, 2020

Have you abandoned a dream or promise because it looked like it was over? Just because you don’t see anything changing doesn’t mean that flame is gone. There are embers still alive beneath those ashes. You have to do your part and stir them up again. Stir up the dreams, the talents, the expectancy. God is still going to finish what He started!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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levels. All they need is to be stirred out. Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for downloading our podcast. We enjoy spending this time with you. I know you're going to leave encouraged and inspired. Make sure you subscribe to get new messages every week and follow us on social media to stay connected. We appreciate your support. It helps keep the ministry going. Enjoy the message. Well, God bless you. It's 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. I'll promise you, we will make you feel right at home. I like to start with something funny. And I heard about this young man. He was a huge football fan. He was a huge football fan. He bought two tickets to the Super Bowl months ahead of time, not realizing it was going to be on the same

day as his wedding. He paid a couple thousand dollars each for the tickets. So he put an ad on Facebook seeing if anyone wanted to go in his place. He said it will be at three o'clock at First Baptist Church and her name is Tiffany. He better get in counseling right now. But here we go. This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. I am. 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 stir it up. When I was growing up, we had a fireplace at home and I would go get the logs to make the fire. My father showed me how if I'd put

those logs just right, a little bit vertical, the fire would burn so strong and last a long time. Overnight we would close the metal grate and the fire would wind down. When I would get up the next morning, all that was left were some ashes and a few remnants of the logs. I would go get more wood, but I discovered something. I didn't have to get a new match to relight the fire. Underneath those ashes, there were embers that were still burning. All I had to do was get the poker out and stir it up and the fire would come back to life. In a few minutes, it would be burning as strong as can be. Now, it may look like some things have gone out in your life. Dreams that didn't work out. Promises that you were believing for that didn't come to pass.

You think it's never going to happen. It's been too long. It's been too long. long, you've accepted, it wasn't meant to be. But can I encourage you underneath those ashes, there are embers that are still alive? You may not be able to see them. They're buried under disappointments, under delays, people that did you wrong, mistakes that you've made. But somewhere underneath all those ashes, a flame is still burning. All you have to do is stir it up. stir up your dreams, stir up your creativity, stir up your gifts. What God put in you didn't go out. Jeremiah said, your word, oh Lord, is like fire shut up in my bones.

That fire may be a little flicker right now, but it's still in you. The good news is the enemy can't put your fire out. Depression can't put your fire out. Loss, loneliness, bad breaks, can't put it out. you may have gone through things that were unfair, kind of knocked the wind out of you, you need to know that did not stop God's plan for your life. What he started, he's going to finish. Now you have to do your part and stir it up.

You can't live with no passion, no enthusiasm, just getting up, going to work, coming home, doing it all again. That fire is not going to grow without you stirring it. start dreaming again, start looking for new opportunities, start praying bold prayers, start expecting God's favor. There is greatness shut up in you. There are dreams shut up in you. There are new levels. All they need is to be stirred out. The scripture says, you will find me when you search for me with all your heart, not with half your heart. God was talking about passionate people, people that are full of praise, people that are talking like it's going to happen, people that are expecting his favor. But if you're passive, indifferent, lethargic, you won't

reach your potential. You have to have some fire in you. Don't let what hasn't worked out. The disappointments, the bad breaks, cause you to become half-hearted, half-hearted in your praise, half-hearted in your marriage, half-hearted at work. What you're believing for may be taken longer than you thought. That's why every day you need to stir yourself up. This is not going to happen automatically. You won't wake up every morning excited about life, enthusiastic about your dreams. Some mornings when we wake up, we feel the blas.

Thoughts will tell you, nothing good is in your future. Nothing ever works out for you. You can either believe those lies, drag through the day, one day will turn into a month, a month will turn into a year. Or you can make a decision like David. When you get out of bed, this is another day that the Lord has made. I'm going to rejoice. I'm going to be glad.

I'm going to enjoy this day. You know what David was doing? Stirring himself up. He was fanning that flame, making sure the fire kept burning. No wonder he was able to outlast all kinds of opposition. No wonder he overcame the rejection from his family, the betrayal from King Saul, and became one of the heroes of faith. You know who sees dreams come to pass? Sturred up people. You know who goes further than they can imagine? People that are passionate. People that make this decision like David to

stay full of zeal. What's interesting is when David wrote that passage, he wasn't in a great place. armies coming against him. People were slandering him trying to ruin his reputation. He could have got up complaining. God, it's not fair. I'm doing the right thing. Why are these people treating me so badly? I thought you said I would be the king. No, David understood this principle that people can't put your fire out. Bad breaks, disappointments cannot stop what God has ordained for you. The more things that come against you, the more you need to stir yourself up. The more opposition, the more you need to give God praise. The longer it's taking, the more you need to talk like it's on the way. The worse, the medical report, the more you need to keep that spring in your

step, that passion in your spirit. Declaring God's favor is on your life. There are embers in you right now just waiting to catch fire like never before. Embers of healing. That sickness looks permanent. Start stirring up the healing. Father, thank you that you're restoring health back into me. Thank you that the number of my days you will fulfill. Maybe you're struggling in your finances.

Business is slow. It's easy to get discouraged. Think that's your lot in life. There are embers of increase, embers of abundance, embers of opportunity just waiting to be stirred up. How do you do it? Father, thank you that whatever I touch prospers and succeeds. Thank you that I will lend and not borrow, that I'm coming into overflow, into more than enough. When David went out to face Goliath, the scripture says he ran quickly toward Goliath.

That's a passionate person. That's somebody that stirred up. you would think he would be very careful, go out there kind of slowly, maybe a little intimidated, afraid, thinking, okay, God, I'll do this, but it'll probably be the end of me. No, David ran out boldly. His attitude was, I can't wait to get to Goliath, because the sooner I get there, the sooner I'll defeat him. When you live stirred up, you don't run from your enemies, you run to your enemies. You don't let that cancer intimidate you.

Your attitude is, cancer, you may be big, but you're no match for me. The most high God is on my side. You don't run from those people at work. Those people trying to make you look bad. You know, God being for you is more than the world being against you. You have everything you need to live a victorious, abundant life. It's on the inside, but it has to be stirred up. That courage may be a little ember right now.

You feel intimidated. What you're up against looks much bigger. That's the way I felt when my father went to be with the Lord and I stepped up to pastor the church. Every thought told me that I couldn't do it, that nobody would listen, that I didn't have the talent. But instead of believing those lies, I started stirring up the courage. Father, thank you that I am strong in the Lord.

Thank you that I could do all things through Christ. Thank you that your favor surrounds me like a shield. I started fanning that ember of courage, that ember of confidence, that ember of talent. I didn't know I could get up and speak in front of people. When my father would ask me to minister years ago, I used to think that is so odd. He doesn't know me very well.

I wouldn't know what to say. This ember was in me all that time, but for 17 years, I never fan. the flame. When my father went to be with the Lord, in one sense, it made it worse. Now there were ashes on top of this ember. I didn't know how things were going to work out, but down in my spirit, I could hear this voice telling me to step up. This time, instead of shrinking back, I started fanning the flame, telling myself that I was well able. I discovered there was fire shut up in my bones. There were gifts and talents.

It was just a little flame, but as I started believing I could do it, taking steps of faith, tuning out the doubt, the naysayers, that fire came alive. God's taking me further than I've dreamed. But I wonder what shut up in you that you haven't tapped into. What dreams, what gifts, what healing, what freedom. It's still burning. It's a little ember. Now it just needs you to add your passion.

to it, to start believing, to start acting like it's going to happen, to start stepping up with boldness. It's easy to come up with excuses, to talk ourselves out of it. Joel, I tried, but it didn't work out. Try again. That didn't put your fire out. The scripture says a good person falls seven times and the Lord raises him up. Maybe it just wasn't the right time. Well, these people did me wrong. My company pushed me out. I lost my spouse. I have all these ashes. I know that's painful.

I know it's not easy. But underneath those ashes, there are embers that are still burning. You may have gone through loss, but your life is not over. Like God did for me, he has beauty for those ashes. New doors are going to open. New relationships

are going to develop. New talents are going to come out. That person that walked out on you. Yes, that's hurtful, but don't give up on life. They didn't put your fire out. They can't stop your destiny. You're going to love again. You're going to dream again. You're going to laugh again. God has someone coming for you much better than who left. Your latter days are going to be better than your former days. Now get your passion back. Get your fire back. Those dreams you've given up on, you need to get that poker out and start stirring them up, start pursuing them again. Those promises that you've let go of seems like it's

too late. The experts said that you can't have a child, that you won't get well, that that family member will never get back on course. Those are lies to try to discourage you to keep those embers from ever catching fire. The enemy knows he can't put out your flame, but if he can deceive you into living with no passion, no enthusiasm, dragging through the day, thinking you've reached your limits, then that will keep you from the fullness of what God has in store. That's why Paul said in Romans, never lag in zeal, be a glow constantly burning with the spirit. It's interesting. He didn't say never lag in faith, never lag in confidence, never lag in experience. He said never lag in zeal. He said never lag in zeal. He was saying if you'll stay passionate about your dreams, passionate about what God promised.

You don't lag in zeal, then whatever area you lag in will eventually turn around. You may lag in resources, lag in good health, lag in friendships. But if you'll stay aglow burning with the spirit, God promises the healing is coming. The right people are coming. The abundance is coming. Paul said the key is to stay fired up. Keep that passion in your spirit. Because we all go through disappointments.

Things we don't understand. You may be dealing with an illness, an addiction, or a situation doesn't look like it's ever going to improve. You could easily drag around, discourage. No, you have to dig your heels in and say, I am not going to let the enemy have my joy, my praise, my enthusiasm. this day is a gift from God. I'm going to stay on fire, a glow,

burning with the spirit. David said, bless the Lord, oh, my soul, and all that is within me. Not partial, not halfway. He was saying, God, I'm giving you a stirred up praise, a passionate praise. Not a praise when everything turns around. A praise that's dependent on the circumstances.

Joel, I'll have a good attitude. when my boss starts treating me better. I'll get my joy back when the Texans win again. I should leave that out. I'll be more enthusiastic when my finances improve. No, you have it backwards. The stirred up praise is what causes things to turn around. Being on fire a glow is what causes those embers to ignite.

What would happen if you would start blessing the Lord with all that is within you? getting up in the morning, thanking him for the day, going out with enthusiasm, pursuing your dreams, expecting his favor, passionate about your life. Everything may not be perfect. We can all find a reason to be sour. This is a decision we have to make. I will bless the Lord.

I will have a good attitude. I will be good to somebody. I will enjoy this day. You can't wait till you feel like it. You have to decide. That's what it means to stir it up. Timothy was a young man that was being mentored by the apostle Paul. Paul must have seen him start to get discouraged and lose his passion

because he said to him in 2 Timothy 1, Timothy stir up the gift of God that is within you. One translation says, fan the flame. Maybe Timothy wouldn't have gone on to do great things and made such an impact with his life, if Paul hadn't have reminded him to stir it up. That's why God has you hearing this. There are gifts and talents in you right now

that you have not yet tapped into. There are dreams, favor, abundance, just waiting to be stirred up. You have not reached your destiny. Too often we like to settle. We don't like to stretch, to get out of our comfort zones, especially when we tried and it didn't work out.

But God is saying to you what he said to Timothy, stir up the gifts that are in you. Stir up the dreams that you've given up on. Stir up the healing, the freedom that you quit believing for. Start fanning that flame. Don't let what hasn't happened talk you out of what God has in your future. You may have some big obstacles,

but the forces that are for you are greater than the forces that are again. against you. You and God are a majority. He's breathing in your direction right now. I talked to a young lady that was raised in a very unhealthy environment. Her father was an alcoholic and her mother was never around. At 12 years old, she ended up homeless living on the streets by herself. At 16, she had a baby. She and her child lived in a shelter. Not long after that, she was diagnosed with leukemia. No insurance. Nobody to help her. Didn't look like she had any kind of future. No gift in her. But God doesn't create anyone without putting something significant on the inside. Every person

has seeds of greatness. That's why the enemy works overtime to try to push down your gifts. bury them under abuse, neglect, sicknesses, divorce. The good news is the enemy can't put your fire out. What God started, no person can stop. You may have had some bad breaks, but the forces of darkness cannot keep you from your destiny. They are not more powerful than our God. The only one that can stop you is you. If you give up on your dreams, if you live bitter, no passion, thinking you've reached your limits, you will miss the beauty for ashes that God has. You will miss him paying you back for those unfair things that have happened. 19 years old, this young lady gave her life to Christ.

For the first time, she felt a sense of purpose, destiny. She decided to go back to school. She got her GED. She went on to college and got her bachelor's degree. Then she got her master's degree. Then she got her doctorate. Today, she's not only cancer-free, but she's the vice president of a university. But back when she was a homeless teenager, nobody would have believed that those gifts were in her.

Nobody would thought there was a vice president of a university in her. What am I saying? Don't judge your future based on where you are right now. Don't let circumstances convince you that you've seen your best days. You wouldn't be alive unless God had something amazing up in front of you. in the scripture, Abraham and Sarah were very old. Sarah had never had any children. I'm sure she was disappointed because in those days,

if the wife didn't give the husband a child, they were looked down on and felt a sense of shame. Now Sarah was 80 years old. She had already accepted that it wasn't going to happen. But in Genesis 17, God said to Abraham, I'm going to give Sarah a son. she's going to become the mother of nations, kings of people will come out of her. Sarah thought she would be barren her whole life, that her womb would always be empty.

But God says, Sarah, you have something in you that you can't see right now. Something much bigger than you've imagined. Yes, you've been through disappointments, but that is not how your story ends. Sarah, you have kings in you. You have nations in your wound. Against all odds, a year later, Sarah gave birth to a son that they named Isaac. There may be areas in your life like Sarah

that you've been barren. You tried, you did your best, but the business didn't take off. The marriage didn't make it. You weren't able to break the addiction. No reason for you to be passionate. No, that is not how your story ends. God is saying to you what he said to Sarah, there are kings in you.

There are things that you don't see coming, promotion, opportunity, healing, children, the right people, businesses. It's not too late. You didn't miss your chance. God has already planted those seeds in your spirit. If you will start stirring it up, living with passion, you are going to see God show out in your life. the enemy wouldn't be fighting you if he didn't know there was something awesome in you. He wouldn't be trying to discourage you, convince you to settle if he didn't know you were destined to rise higher. You are destined to leave your mark.

When Sarah first heard that she was going to have a baby, she laughed. She thought that's impossible. I can't have a baby. There aren't kings in me. God was talking about her seed, how her children and grandkids. children would do great things. You don't know what God is up to. The scripture says no person has seen, heard, or imagine what God has in store. God is going to bring things out of you that you didn't even know we're in you. You're going to see overflow, abundance, the surpassing greatness of his favor.

Now, if you're going to stay stirred up, you need to get around other stirred up people. Don't hang around people that drain your energy, take your enthusiasm, try to talk you out of what you're believing for. I don't see how you can get well. My grandmother died of that same thing. I wouldn't try to start that business. What if it doesn't work out? You still think you're going to meet someone? You've been single a long time.

There will always be people that try to throw water on your fire. Tell you what you can't do, how it's not going to work out, how you should settle where you are. They may mean well, they may even love you, but the enemy uses people to try to discourage us to keep us from our destiny. Do yourself a favor. Distance yourself from them. Your time is too valuable to spend it with negative people, people that have no vision, no passion. You need to be around people that help you stay stirred up. That's why so many people come out to Lakewood and so many people. listen, not because I'm the greatest minister, but I promise you this, I'm going to stir you up. I'm going to challenge you to go further, to reach for your dreams, to believe for the impossible, to expect God's favor. I'm going to remind you that you're a child of the most high God,

that you have seeds of greatness, that God didn't bring you this far to leave you, that what happened in your past doesn't have to stop your future that God has the final say. My question for you is are you living stirred up? Are you passionate about your dreams? Are you excited about your future? Friends, life is flying by. Don't waste another minute dragging through the day, focused on what's wrong, thinking you've reached your limits. The truth is, you're on the launching pad. God's about to do a new thing. You're about to see his in unprecedented way. Get ready for overflow. Get ready for new levels. Get ready for something that you've never seen. James chapter 5 says, the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous person makes tremendous power available. That word fervent in the original language is where

we get our word for energy. It suggests the idea of energizing, like electricity energizes a circuit. You can plug a lamp into an outlet, but if the power's not on, doesn't do any good. This says the effectual, fervent prayer, not a passive prayer, not a weak, lethargic prayer, where you say the same thing over and over, no passion. But when you pray a stirred up prayer, a passionate prayer, a bold prayer, that makes tremendous power available. Well, God, I know I don't deserve much. I've made a lot of mistakes, but if you want to help me, you can. That's not energizing the circuits, so to speak.

Depressing prayers don't bring any power. The prayer that's effective is a fervent, passionate, bold, faith-filled prayer. Father, thank you that you're opening doors that no man can shut. Thank you that you're taking me where I can't go on my own. Thank you that I'm coming into a year of overflow. Don't pray depressing prayers. God, my back's been hurting so bad. These children are getting on my nerves.

I don't think I can take it anymore. That's not activating any power. Turn it around. Father, thank you that you're fighting my battles. Thank you that no weapon formed against me will prosper. That as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. You have to show God that you want what you're praying about. There has to be some fervor, some zeal,

some enthusiasm. If you're not passionate about it, it's not an effective prayer. I'm asking you to stir it up. Stir up what you're praying about. Stir up your dreams. Stir up your gifts. God has put incredible potential on the inside. It may just be a little ember now, but as you keep stirring it up, I believe and declare, like Sarah, greatness is going to come out of you. New doors are about to open, negative situations are turning around healing breakthroughs favor the fullness of your destiny in jesus name and if you receive it can you say amen today 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'll 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. We're excited about coming back to New York for our Night of Hope in Yankee Stadium. It's going to be a great night of encouragement and inspiration. Our special guest, Kanye West, and the Sunday service choir. Looking forward to seeing you there, May 2nd in Yankee Stadium. Thanks so much for listening to today's message.

I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to keep you in. encouraged and inspired all through the week. Help us to continue to share the message of hope with those all around the world. Visit Joel Osteen.com or click the link in the description to partner with us today. We hope you'll share this message with a friend and be sure to follow us on social media. We're praying for you. I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you next time.

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