Joel Osteen Podcast - Swing Your Sword | Joel Osteen

Episode Date: January 29, 2024

If you want to see God’s power at work in your life, you have to do your part to fight the forces that are trying to keep you from your destiny. Start declaring what God promised. When you speak His Word over your situation, that's you swinging your sword.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.Stay inspired through every season with the 2024 Today’s Word Devotional. Our January offer has a Scripture verse, reflection, and prayer for each day. Let God transform every aspect of your life as you walk day by day through this new year. Request your copy now, https://bit.ly/4aK143y.  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. We have a new resource. It's a 2024 daily devotional. We'd love to send it to you. It'll help you start the day off right. You will love this devotional. And know this.

We are praying for you and we are believing for God's very best for you in 2024. God bless you. It's great to have you with us today. And I hope you'll stay connected with us throughout the week. We have a daily podcast that you can download. You can go to our YouTube channel, watch the messages anytime, or you can follow us on social media. I promise you this, we'll keep you encouraged and inspired. Thanks for tuning in.

Thanks again for coming out in person. I like to start with something funny, and I heard about this couple. They were driving down the road when they came across a sign that said, Nacadoches, 40 miles ahead. They began to argue over how to correctly pronounce the name Nacadoches. The husband got so upset. He told his wife when they got to town he was going to stop and prove to her that she was wrong.

They drove silently the next 30 minutes. When he arrived in town, he pulled into the first fast food restaurant. They both marched up to the counter. He said to the young lady working behind it, my wife and I have been arguing the last 30 minutes, would you please tell us very slowly and very clearly how to pronounce the name of this place? The young girl's eyes got real big.

She leaned over the counter and said, Burger King. 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 swing your sword. It's easy to let life just happen to us. When we've been through enough disappointments, people against us, we tried but couldn't break the addiction. Over time,

that can wear us down to where we lose our fight. We lose our passion. But you can't be passive and just take whatever comes your way. We're in a fight. There are forces that are trying to keep you from your destiny. The scripture says, God's word is the sword. of the Spirit. When you have his promises coming out of your mouth, you are swinging your sword. When you swing, God will fight for you. But as long

as you're passive, I can't believe this happen, I never get any good breaks, I'll probably never get well. The problem is, your sword is in its sheep. It's not doing you any good. You have to get your sword out. Father, thank you that no weapon formed against me will prosper. Thank you

that you being for me is more than the world being against me. You know what you just did? You swung your sword. When you swing, when you declare his promises, angels go to work. Forces of darkness are pushed back. Negative situations will turn around. Are you swinging your sword? You have to initiate God's power. You can't sit back. I hope I get well. I hope my child gets on course. I hope this dream comes to past, hoping is good, but that's not enough. You're in a battle, not with people. The scripture says, we're fighting spirits without bodies. There's an unseen realm where forces are trying to keep you from your purpose. You can't fight an unseen enemy with physical weapons. You have to use the sword

of the spirit. God's word coming out of your mouth is one of your most powerful weapons. When Joel, I'm waiting on God to help me, maybe God's waiting on you to get your sword out. To accomplish your dreams, you have to swing your sword. Father, you said, because I keep you first place, you will crown my efforts with success. Thank you that my business is taken off, that my gifts are coming out to the fold, that you're opening doors that no person can shut. That's not just being positive. That's swinging your sword. If you're single, believing to meet the right person, instead of being negative, It's been so long. I don't think it's ever going to happen.

Father, you said, no good thing will you withhold because I walk up rightly. You said you'd give me the desires of my heart. So, Father, thank you that someone awesome is coming my way. I talked to a young couple. They'd been trying to have a baby for many years with no success. They were very disappointed. They said, I guess it just wasn't meant to be. Sometimes we get worn down.

We're tired of believing. tried and it didn't work out. The next time we have a challenge, we don't even get our sword out. We get conditioned to it. No, don't accept defeat. Don't let mediocrity, addictions, dysfunction,

become normal to where you think just my lot in life. All my family is depressed. Get your sword out. Start declaring what God says about you. Start expecting his favor. Start thanking him when there's no sign of it. praising when nothing is turning around.

That's what faith is all about. I told that couple, all through the day, you need to start declaring, Father, you said, the fruit of my womb is blessed. You said you would make the barren woman a happy mother of children. You said children are a gift from God, that my children will rise up and call me blessed.

So, Lord, thank you that my baby is on the way. When you start swinging your sword, God will make things happen that you couldn't make happen. He'll fight for you, but you have to activate his power. You have to activate the miracle, activate the breakthrough. Joel, I did this, but nothing happened. Keep doing it. Things are happening in the unseen realm. God is working. You may not see it, but things are changing in your favor. Consistency is the key. Keep swinging that sword. Keep declaring the victory.

year and a half later that young couple came down to the front to dedicate their beautiful baby girl. They both had tears running down their faces so grateful to God. I wonder if there are babies we're missing out on healing, freedom, abundance, simply because we're not swinging our sword. What's holding you back? Are there areas you become complacent? You're just accepting it, waiting on God to do something, when in fact, God is waiting on you.

Get your sword out. Start believing again. Start expecting his favor. Start declaring what he says about you. The scripture says, let the weak say I am strong. Let the poor say I am well off. Don't sit around in weakness.

Don't just talk about how bad life is. I'll probably always struggle. Talking defeat brings more defeat. Talking about the weakness will keep you weak. God has given you a sword that can break powers that are holding you back. You have a sword that can unleash your dreams, unlock your potential, thrust you to a new level. Take it out of its sheath and start swinging it. I am blessed.

I am prosperous. I am healthy, strong, forgiven, favored. I am more than a conquer. You keep swinging your sword like that and you'll see God do things you couldn't do. favor, breakthroughs, new levels of your destiny. Well, Joel, I'm kind of discouraged because I'm under attack. These people have come against me. My health is not good.

My child got off course. Under attack is the wrong perspective. You're not under attack. You're in a battle. Under attack implies I'm being bombarded. It's not fair. I'm outnumbered. You're not outnumbered.

You and God are a majority. You have the most powerful force. in the universe on your side. But a defeated mindset is not going to move you forward. Thinking that you were shortchanged, you're at a disadvantage, will keep you from your destiny.

The reason you have these challenges is because there's something amazing in front of you. The enemy wouldn't be fighting you if you didn't have greatness in you. He wouldn't waste his time if he didn't know you were going to take new ground for the kingdom. He can sense you're a threat.

That's why he's coming against you. Don't fall apart. Get your sword out. Start swinging, start praising, start declaring, start speaking his promises. This two shall pass. What was meant from my harm. I know this. God is turning to my advantage.

What he started in my life, he's going to finish. God promised the Israelites. He would give them the land of Canaan. That was the promised land. but he said, you have to go in and possess the land. The problem was there were giants living there. The people were huge. Instead of taking their swords out, going in, knowing that God would give them the victory,

they were intimidated by the opposition. They looked at how big and how strong and how they didn't have a chance. They turned around and went back into the desert and never did make it in. God could have given them the land without a fight. He could have cleared out the enemy, handed it to them without opposition. But most of the time, God will say, I'll give you the healing, but you have to fight for it. I'll restore your marriage. I'll break the addiction.

I'll turn your child around if you'll get your sword out. If you'll not be passive, if you'll start swinging. God asks the Israelites, how long will you wait till you possess the land that I've given you? it wasn't necessarily up to God. He said, in effect, you initiate the blessing, the favor, the healing. How long are you going to wait to go after what God is put in your heart? Well, Joel, there are giants in front of me. This medical report?

This addiction? I don't have the funds for my dream, the connections. Those giants may look big, but they're no match for our God. You'll be amazed at what will happen when you start swinging your sword. Hebrew says God's word is alive and full of power, sharper than any two-edged sword. His promises coming out of your mouth will part red seas, will break addictions, will defeat the sickness, will open doors you never dream would open. Are you swinging your sword?

Are you declaring what God says about you? Are you possessing your land? Going after what he put in your heart, dreaming big, praying bold prayers, expecting his favor? God wants to take you where no one in your family has gone. He has influence, opportunity, favor like you've never seen. You wouldn't be hearing this if there wasn't something bigger, something better coming your way. But with those new levels, there will be new devils. There will be giants on your land, opposition, things you don't understand, things that are not fair.

people that should be for you that are against you. You don't win these battles with just skill, strength, outmaneuvering. It's a spiritual battle. They are won with the sword of the spirit, with declaring God's promises, with standing in faith, unwavered, and unmoved. I was in college in 1981 when my brother Paul called. He said, mother is very sick.

I had never seen my mother sick a day of her life. And that caught me off guard. I said, Paul, what do you mean she's sick? She has the flu. She has a bad cold. He said, no, she's really sick. What they weren't telling me is she had been in the hospital for 21 days. The doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with her.

They finally told my father that she had metastatic cancer of the liver and only had a few weeks to live. There was no treatment that they could give her. They'd come to the end of what they could do medically speaking and they sent her home. The good news, people don't have the final say. God can do what medicine cannot do. I flew home from college and when I saw my mother, I was so shocked. She looked like a picture of death. She was very frail, weighed only 89 pounds. Her skin was as yellow as can be. Her voice so shaky. She could have gone to bed, depressed, given up on life. I guess my time is up. This giant is too big.

But Mother understood this principle. She didn't see herself as under attack, as this one-sided opposition, where she was at the mercy of the sickness. She saw herself as in a battle. She got her sword out. All through the day, I would hear her quoting scripture, I will live and not die. God is restoring health back into me. I am strong in the Lord. The number of my days he will fulfill.

She felt weak, but she kept declaring she was strong. She looked sick, but she kept declaring she was well. The cancer looked like it was winning, but she kept declaring, God always causes me to triumph. She kept swinging her sword, believing God was working when she didn't see anything changing, expecting his favor, talking like healing was on the way. When you swing your sword, God goes to work. I can imagine every time she said, I am healed, that cancer got a little weaker.

every time she said I will live and not die he got a little bit weaker every time she declared what the psalmist said the strength of the enemy is being cut off but the power of the godly is being increased the cancer got weaker weaker and weaker this went on months and months

against all odds she started getting better and better today 40 years later she's healthy, whole still going strong how long will you wait till you possess your healing, your freedom, your peace, your abundance. Start swinging your sword. It's very powerful when you have God's promises coming out of your mouth. The scripture says God watches over his word to perform it. He's not obligated to bring to pass what we say,

but he is obligated to bring to pass what he says. That's why it's so important to get in agreement with God. Speak what he says about you. Not how you feel, not how big the problem is, not how it's never going to work out. Speak victory. Speak abundance. Speak healing. Like my mother, you may be fighting a battle in your health, your finances, a relationship. The good news is you have a weapon.

Get your sword out. I am healthy. I am whole. I am strong. I will run and not be weary. I will walk and not faint. If you're struggling in your finances, Instead of complaining, never get any good breaks, I'll always be in need.

Everyone in my family has struggled. That's just who we are. Get your sword out. Lord, you promise whatever I touch will prosper and succeed. Thank you that my cup will run over, that I will have a bountiful year, that because I fully obey, I walk under the commanded blessing. Good breaks, opportunities, resources, the right people are chasing me down. Now you may not see anything happening, but as you keep swinging that sword, behind the scenes,

things are changing. God is lining up the right people, moving out the wrong people. Opportunities are coming, healing, breakthroughs. He watches over his word to perform it. Pay attention to what's coming out of your mouth. Are you speaking the problem, or are you speaking the promises? Are you talking to God about how big your problems are? or are you talking to your problems about how big your God is?

How many battles are we not winning because our sword is in its sheath? We have it, but we're not swinging it. We're not activating God's power, his favor, his healing. Get that sword out. We're in a battle. There are giants on your land. God promise you the victory, but you can't be passive. I hope it happened.

Joel, if God wants me to have it, he'll give it to me. no, he's waiting on you to possess it. If you'll start swinging your sword, then he'll step in, help you accomplish what you can accomplish on your own. When David went out to face Goliath, before he ever slung a rock, he got his sword out. He looked at Goliath and said, this day I will defeat you and feed your head to the birds of the air. He declared victory.

He declared God's favor. He could have said, God, why is this giant in my path? He's twice my size. I don't have the training. This is not fair. If David would have talked like that, we wouldn't be talking about him. David knew how to swing his sword.

He went out and slung that rock, hit Goliath in the forehead, knocked him out. Here's the point. If you'll swing your sword, God will direct the rock. If you'll declare victory, he'll bring down the giants.

Years ago, I was watching this boxing match. It was the two best boxers in the world, heavyweight boxers. They were scheduled for a 12-round fight. There had been all this hype leading up to it. The opening bell finally rang. We expected this exciting, high

energy match, but the boxer that was the favorite hardly threw any punches. First round, he was very passive, just playing defense, trying to stay away from his opponent, almost like he was scared. Second round, it was the same way, third round,

and the fourth round. In the fifth round, he got knocked out. It was a huge upset. He told afterwards his strategy was to be defensive for the first five rounds, save all his energy, not throw many punches, so in the later rounds, when the other boxer was tired, he would have the advantage. The problem is he never made it to the later rounds. Are you being passive?

Just taking what comes you away? You're in a fight. There are forces that don't want you to succeed. seed. They're after your health, your finances, your children. You can't stay on the defensive and live in victory. You have to start throwing some punches. Well, Joel, my children are running with the wrong crowd. I've been praying. I don't think they'll ever get back on course. Praying is important, but you need to do more than pray. You need to get your sword out. Start declaring what God said. Father, you said, as for me in my house, we will serve the Lord. You said, my

will be mighty in the land. You said the seed of the righteous is blessed. Lord, thank you that my children will become all that you've created them to be. Keep swinging that sword. Every time you do is pushing back forces of darkness. For your own life, every day you need to declare victory, purpose, destiny. Father, thank you that you've raised me up for such a time as this. Thank you that you've crowned me with your favor, that I will defeat every giant, overcome. Overcome. every obstacle, accomplish every dream, that the greatness you put in me will come out. I wonder where you would be at this time next year if you'd start swinging your sword. Not talking about the problem, but talking about the promise.

Not wishing things would change, but declaring God's favor. Speaking strength when you feel weak. Speaking abundance when you're seeing lack. Speaking new levels when you feel stuck. and you may have big obstacles coming against you today. Let me remind you we serve a big God. The sword he's given you is sharper and more powerful than any force that's trying to stop you. Many of you have been using your sword.

You've been faithful. Swinging when the depression comes. The joy of the Lord is my strength. Swinging in the face of the illness by his stripes I am healed. Swinging in the middle of a pandemic. Father, you said, Even in famine, the righteous will have more than enough. Get ready. Giants are about to come down. Your health is about to turn around. That child is about to get back on course. New doors are about to open.

That family issue is about to resolve. It's going to be unusual, uncommon, something better than you were expecting. God sees your faithfulness. He hears you bringing his word back to him, not complaining, but speaking the promises. He's about to watch over his word to perform it. I talked to a gentleman. During the pandemic, his business went down to nothing. He fell behind on rent and other bills. He was $10,000 in debt, didn't have any of it. He was so discouraged, didn't know what he was going to do. Serious Radio was having a special where they'd give you three months of free subscription. He signed up and came across our station. He felt so much hard. He felt so much hard. he started listening day and night. He would even leave it on at night while he slept. I've always

been good at putting people to sleep. He said, I came to the point where I said, God, I'm not going to worry anymore. I believe you're supplying my needs. You feed the birds of the air. You clothe the lilies of the fields. I know you'll take care of me. When he could have been depressed, complaining, he started swinging his sword. Father, thank you that your Jehovah Agira, the Lord my provider. Thank you that the economy is not my source, but you are my source. Thank you that you're opening the windows of

heaven, pouring out blessings I cannot contain. One scripture says, put God in remembrance of what he said. Find the promises that apply to your situation and thank him that he's bringing them to pass. Fifteen years ago,

he had bought two penny stocks that were worth about $20. He would check them every once a while. One time they went up to several hundred dollars, then they'd come right back down to a few dollars. They were basically, in his words, worthless. He hadn't checked on them in years. He went to his account and thought it was a mistake. It said they were worth $16,000. He tried to sell them before when it was a few hundred dollars. He could never get it to go through. This time, he had a buyer offer him not $16,000, but $20,000. He said, only

God can take a penny stock that I thought was worthless and turn it into $20,000. When you swing your sword, God goes to work. He won't just bring you out. He'll exceed your expectations. The scripture says he'll make a river in the desert. He'll take five lobes and feed 5,000. He'll part of Red Sea. He'll heal you from the cancer.

He'll give you a compact center. I'm asking you to get your sword out. complaining doesn't get his attention begging doesn't cause him to act yes he's concerned about our needs but he's moved by our faith start declaring what he says about your situation Joshua chapter 10

five kings had joined together to come against Joshua and the Israelites they were about to attack the city of Gibbon these were Joshua's friends the Gibbon king sent messengers to Joshua saying please come and rest us. What's interesting is these five kings didn't even like each other before. They were all enemies, but when they saw how powerful and favored Joshua was, they put down their dislikes

for one another and they formed this huge army. Some people will be so against you. They'll join forces with their enemies to try to make you look bad. Don't worry, they can't stand against our God. They came against Joshua, thinking they had so many people, surely he would back down. They didn't know Joshua. Joshua was a warrior. He got his men together. They hurried down to Givian with their swords drawn. When the enemy armies saw them coming, they panicked and got confused.

Joshua and his men started defeating them left and right. Some of them ran into the hills trying to escape. They would have gotten away, but God sent a huge hands. Hellstorm. Hell, I can imagine, the size of baseballs, raining down from the heavens. The scripture says, the hell destroyed more of the enemy's troops than Joshua and his men did with the sword. God was showing us, if you'll swing your sword, then God will throw his hell. If you'll speak his promises, God will make things happen that you couldn't make happen. Well, I'm waiting on the hellstorm, Joel, waiting on God to deliver me, promote me,

restore me, God is waiting on you to swing the sword. When you have his word coming out of your mouth, when you're declaring his promises, then he'll step in and do what you can't do. Swing your sword and you'll defeat giants much bigger. Swing your sword and doors will open. You could never open. Swing your sword and you'll break the addiction. You'll beat the depression. You'll see those dreams come to pass. God has the hellstorm. He has the favor. The healing, the abundance. He's just waiting on you to get your sword out. Don't be passive. You're in a battle. Get your fight back. Get your passion back. You have to initiate the blessing. Initiate the healing. Initiate the favor. If you'll start swinging your sword, I believe and

declare. Like with Joshua, God is going to show out in your life. Negative situations are about to turn around. Breakthroughs are coming. Healing. motion, the right people, new levels of your destiny in Jesus' name. 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 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 you to send you some free information on your new walk with the Lord. Just text the number on the screen or go to the website. We have some great information. I hope you'll get into a good Bible-based

church and keep God first place. It's January. Time to renew my faith. It's January. It's time to start a new season. It's January. There is no better time than now to set the course of our year ahead. The beginning of the year is a great time to start a fresh and anew, to let go of negative things of the past, and to get ready for the new things God has in store. Every January, we create a new devotional calendar that will help you throughout the year. When you start the day off in faith,

grateful for what God's done, making positive declarations over your future, you're setting the tone for a blessed day and a victorious year. This devotional will help you get your mind, going in the right direction so you can go out each day in faith knowing that God is in control that his plans for you are for good. I'd love to send you a copy. As our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount this first month of the year, we would like to send you a copy of our brand new 24 365 day devotional calendar. Do you want to set a faith course for your life in

24, do you want to see your life take off in new directions of influence, favor, and provision in the year ahead? Using this devotional calendar is as easy as one, two, three. One, wake up with an expectancy in your heart. Two, reflect on the daily scripture verse and devotional from Joel. Three, capture God's promises to you on journaling lines for writing and reflection. Be sure to request your copy of the 2024 devotional calendar of a This month by simply visiting us at Joel Osteen.com or calling 888567 Joel.