Joel Osteen Podcast - The Anointing of Ease | Joel Osteen

Episode Date: October 26, 2023

We all go through difficult seasons, but we have to remember those difficulties aren’t permanent. When you step into God’s anointing of ease, what was once difficult is going to suddenly become easy. You're about to walk into His supernatural grace and favor. 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.

Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. Well, God bless you. It is always a joy to come into your homes. We love you, and I know God has great things in store for people that seek after him. I believe that's you or you wouldn't have tuned in.

So welcome. Come be a part of one of our services if you're ever in the Houston area. We'd love to have you. Thanks again for coming out today. I'd like to start with something funny each week, and I heard about this elderly preacher. He was dying. He sent word for two of his members,

an IRS agent and a lawyer to come to his house. When they got there, he motioned with his hands to sit on each side of the bed. The men were very moved that they could be there during his final moments. The lawyer finally spoke up and said, Sir, what made you choose both of us? The minister mustered up some strength

and said, Jesus died between two sinners, and that's the way I want to go. 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. I want to talk to you. I want to talk to you. today about the anointing of ease. We all go through seasons that are more difficult than others. Seasons where we're working hard but not making much progress. Maybe in a relationship, you're doing your best, but it still seems stagnant. There are seasons in our finances where it's one

struggle after another. We take one step forward, it seems like two steps backwards. If we're not careful, we'll lose our enthusiasm and think, this is just the way life is. I'm always going to struggle in my marriage, Joel. I'm always going to struggle raising this child. Life is just hard. And yes, there are seasons that we have to stand strong and do the right thing even though it's difficult, but don't make the mistake of settling there

and thinking that's the way it's always going to be. Jesus said, my yoke is easy and my burden is light. There's something called the anointing of ease. when you step into this anointy, what was difficult all the sudden becomes easy. Things you used to struggle with are not a struggle anymore. There's a supernatural grace, a favor that lightens the load and takes the pressure off. A gentleman told how he had struggled in his business month after month. It was very slow, and he had been tracking every lead and beating down every door with no success.

Look like it would go under. It looked like he wouldn't survive. But at the last minute, this new client called him. This company actually searched him out. Today, they're his biggest account. Things have totally turned around. He's having a banner year in spite of the economy. What happened?

He stepped in to that anointing of ease. What he couldn't make happen on his own, God made happen for him. That one good break took all the pressure off. Some of you, just like him, You have struggled in an area year after year. But I want to announce today you're about to come in to your anointing of ease. God has promised he will go before you and make your crooked places straight.

That means he's going to smooth things out. He's going to make your life easier. You're coming into a season where things are going to start falling into place. You're going to get breaks that you didn't deserve. Problems that you've struggled with for years all of a sudden. are going to resolve. Those promises you've been standing on, you're going to see them begin to come to pass. You need to get ready and get your fire back. You're coming into a new season. Maybe it's in your finances. You've struggled for a long time. Let me just declare it. You're going to see supernatural increase.

Supernatural opportunities, supernatural promotion. The economy is not your source. God is your source. He is going to open up doors that no person can shut. He is going to show up and show out in your life in unusual ways. And what could have taken you a lifetime to accomplish because of his favor, his blessing, his goodness, it's going to happen in a much shorter period of time. You're going to look back in amazement and say, how did I get to where I am?

God has been good to me. He has outdone himself in my life. That's the anointing of ease. I talked to a lady that was having difficulty raising her child. child. It was one struggle after another. She said, Joel, I'm so frustrated, I don't think we'll ever get along. And I told her what I'm telling you. God is about to reward your faithfulness. You have sown all those seeds. You have planted. You have watered. Now you're about to come into harvest. That situation is going to turn around. Not to where you just don't argue anymore, but to where you're actually friends, where you enjoy each other's company.

It's going to be a new season. I want you to get your hopes up today. There are so many things trying to pull us down. Every time you turn around, we're being bombarded with bad news from every direction. And I realize that life can be difficult. I'm not saying that if you stay in faith,

you'll never have a problem. But there is a peace that God can give you in the midst of the challenge to where you say, I should be upset, I should be losing sleep at night, but I'm not the least bit worried. I know God is still on the throne. I know he's working this out for my good.

He has given me the grace to handle anything that comes my way. And I am not a victim of the bad economy. I'm not a victim of this sickness. I'm not a victim of how it was raised, a victim of somebody else's bad choice. I am a victor and never a victim. When you step into this anointing of ease, you don't drag around, discouraged, despondent.

You're in faith. Hoping, believe, and expecting. That's when God will show up and make your crooked places straight. That's when you'll look up and say, you know what? I don't struggle in this area anymore. God took the pressure off. Things are starting to fall into place.

You may not be there just yet, but every day you need to say, Father, thank you that I'm coming into that anointing of ease. Thank you that you're fighting my battles for me, making my rough places smooth, giving me the desires of my heart. This is what David did. He declared it in Psalm 23, verse 5. God anoints my head with oil.

You know what oil does? It makes things flow. Whenever there's friction, something gets stuck, you put oil on it to lubricate it, to make it more fluid. That's what God is doing for each one of you. He anoints your head with oil. When he does that, Notice what happens. David said, because God anoints me, because I walk in his favor, surely goodness and mercy will follow me everywhere I go. That means things are going to be easier. People are going to go out of their way to be good to you for no reason.

You're going to have creativity, wisdom, good ideas. You don't even know where it came from. It's because of the oil God put on your life. it represents his anointing. And when you're all oiled up, somebody offends you, it's no big deal. It can't stick. It flows right off.

That oil will help you to flow through the traffic without getting upset. Remember that when you leave today. God's anointing on your life will cause the right doors to open. It will bring the right people across your path. It will make things go smoother. Every morning before you leave the house,

just like sometimes you put on Sunday, screen, you need to put on the oil of God's goodness. Just say, Father, thank you for your favor in my life today. Thank you for causing me to be at the right place, at the right time. Thank you for your wisdom to make good decisions, your grace to handle any challenge, your strength to overcome any adversity, and your faith to believe for big things. When you get in agreement with God like that, You start declaring his favor, his promises over your life. Then you won't drag through the day down and defeat it. You won't always be getting the short end of the stick.

It says your cup will run over. That means instead of always being worn out, you'll run over with energy. Run over with good ideas. Run over with divine health. Run over in your finances. Run over with joy. You will run over with God's blessings and favor. I believe today I am looking at running over people.

The other day I was leaving a hotel early in the morning and I was traveling by myself that day. I usually travel with the team but I was all alone and I had a whole lot of luggage to carry. I was pulling a bag and I had my suit bag and I had a folder under my arm. Plus I had my computer bag. I just walked out of the hotel room, headed down the hall and I was making it okay but it was a little bit of a struggle to carry all that

and about 15 or 20 steps down the way, a young man came up out of nowhere. He worked there and said, sir, let me get that for you. He didn't take part of it. He took all of it. He would let me carry one bag. We got up about 50 feet to the elevators, and it was very crowded. It looked like a convention had just let out. He said, follow me.

He took me to a service elevator. We didn't have to wait one minute. I got to the airport, and the line for security was very long. Look like it could easily take 20 or 30 minutes, and I was standing there just minding my own business. And this gentleman came up wearing a badge, and he said, follow me. I didn't know if I was in trouble or if this was the favor of God. He took my bags through security for me.

He called a cart and drove me to my gate himself. I never asked him to do it. Didn't even know who he was. I got home later that evening, sat down in my favorite green chair. About that time, Victoria bought my dinner on a tray. I knew at that moment the day of miracles was not over. What was that? The anointing of ease.

God going before me making crooked places straight, causing people to want to be good to me. I know some people say, oh, Joel, God's got bigger things to deal with than me getting through the airport. He's got bigger things to deal with than somebody helping me with my luggage or me getting a good parking spot.

But you don't understand. you are God's biggest deal. You are the apple of his eye. You are his most prized possession. Don't tell anybody, but you are God's favorite child. The other day, our

daughter, Alexander, came up to me. She's 10 years old now, and she said, Dad, can I have $10 to go to the movies? I said, yes, get it off my dresser in the closet. She said, thanks, and went in the other direction. I said, aren't you going to get it? She smiled and said,

I already did. She said, I knew you would say yes. And that made me glad. I thought, I like her confidence. I love the fact that she knows I want to be good to her. You may not realize it, but God has already

said yes to his promises. You don't have to beg God to be good to you. You don't have to God to help you. God wants to help you. The scripture says all of his promises are yes and amen. You need to go out every day

knowing that God wants to help you driving through the traffic. He wants to help you shopping at the grocery store, raising your children, dealing with that problem at work. Start thanking him every day for that anointing of ease. I think about a young lady in the scripture. Her name was Ruth. She had had

a very difficult life. Her husband and brother-in-law were killed on the same day in a battle. Ruth was discouraged, forlorn, ups and said didn't look like she had much of a future. She moved to another country with her mother-in-law, Naomi. Now she was a stranger in a foreign land. She was seen there as second class. She wasn't really accepted. They had no food, no money. Every day was a struggle to survive. Ruth could have easily gotten bitter, gotten discouraged, and thought life is not fair. This is so difficult. God,

why did this happen to me? No, there was something different about. Ruth. She knew that God was still in control. She knew, like little Alexandra, that her heavenly father had already said yes. There was still something great in her future. And every morning, Ruth would go out into the fields and pick up the leftover wheat that the reapers had missed. This is how she and Naomi survived off the leftovers. It was a constant struggle. But one day, the owner of that field, his name was Boaz. He was. He was the wealthiest man in the area. He noticed Ruth.

He didn't really know much about her, but for some reason, he had a desire to be good to her. He told his workers to leave handfuls of wheat on purpose for Ruth. The next morning when she went out, Ruth had more wheat than she could handle. It wasn't a struggle anymore. I can imagine Naomi said, Ruth, how did you get back so quickly today? And where did you get all this wheat?

Ruth said, I don't know. It was just laying in my path. I just stumbled across it. What happened? Ruth stepped in to that anointing of ease. She began to get unusual blessings. This was favor that she didn't really have to work for. Favor that she didn't necessarily deserve.

Just like Ruth, in your future, God has left you handfuls on purpose. He's already spoken to the right people to bless you. He's already talked to your boazes. You don't have to worry. Your life is not going to be a constant struggle. Yes, there are seasons that are difficult, but don't you dare settle there.

God has already lined up in your future. The right breaks, the right opportunities, the right people. That winter season will come to an end and give way to springtime. One thing I love about God is he likes to outdo himself. He didn't just meet Ruth. needs. He didn't just make her life easier. He did more than she could even ask or think. Boaz, the man that was in charge of it all, one day he and Ruth fell in love. They ended up getting married. Now, instead of working in the field, Ruth owned the field. Instead of going out each day

getting the leftovers, she had somebody bringing her wheat. In other words, she had breakfast in bed. And you too, if you'll stay in faith and just keep being your best in, each day, you're going to come across your handfuls on purpose. You're going to look back and say, wow, God's being good to me. I never dreamed I'd go from working at this business to owning my own business.

I never dreamed I'd go from teaching at this school to running this school. I never dreamed I'd go from being behind the camera to being in front of the camera. What was that? A handful on purpose left there by the creator of the universe. I remember

one time I was in a difficult situation. I didn't know how it was going to resolve, and I was in another city far away from home, and I really needed some advice. So I called a friend of mine. He said, Joel, you really need to talk to one of my associates. He's an expert in this field. He'll be able to help you, but he's out of town for two weeks. Well, I didn't have two weeks. That was like a lifetime to me. He asked me where I was, and I told him. He said, you've got to be kidding. That man just left two or three hours ago, and that's exactly where he's heading. When he gave me the address,

I found he was going to be less than two miles from where I was staying. When I heard that, I knew God was still on the throne. I knew that was a handful on purpose. Here we were both thousands of miles from home. We could be anywhere in the world.

What are the chances that we'd end up? Less than five minutes from each other. What am I saying? God is directing every one of your steps. He is already lined up solutions to your problems. He has lined up the breaks that you need. I want you to go out each day knowing that there is favor in your future. There is restoration in your future. There is healing in your future. There are good breaks right up ahead of you. You single people, don't get discouraged.

God has another Boaz out there. He has the right person he's going to bring across your path at just the right time. Well, you say, Joel, I've had a lot of disappointments. I got laid off or my relationship didn't work out or I started a business that didn't make it and now I'm just trying to survive. That's exactly the way Ruth felt. All the odds were against her. Life had treated her unfair. But if Ruth were standing before you today, she would look in the eyes and say, keep pressing forward. God has another victory in your future. You don't know the handfuls on purpose that are right up ahead of you. Friends, God is going to take you places you've never even dreamed of.

You are going to accomplish goals that you never thought possible. You're going to overcome obstacles that looked insurmountable. You may get knocked down every once in a while, but you will never get knocked out. You are a child of the Most High God. He has you in the palm of his hand. Right now, I believe God is breathing new hope into your dreams. He's breathing new life into your heart. He's breathing a bigger vision into your spirit.

One scripture says, it's not by our might. It's not by our power, but it's by the breath of Almighty God. As God breathes on your life, things are going to get easier. Negative situations are going to turn around. You're going to have wisdom beyond your years. You're going to have a resolve that will not give up. an attitude that refuses to quit. Why is that?

God's breathing on your life. He's making things easier. Everywhere you go, you need to imagine the most powerful force in the universe is blowing in your direction. I believe some of you, even this week, you're going to come across one of those handfuls on purpose.

You're going to sell property that you haven't been able to sell. Somebody's going to offer you a position, a new opportunity that's further greater than you ever dreamed of. Or somebody for no reason, they're going to go out of their way to be good to you. What was it? A handful on purpose.

God breathing in your direction. I talked to a single parent mom just recently. She told how it was such a struggle to make ends meet, and she was having to work long hours, and she felt bad that she couldn't be there with her children. On top of that, she had no free time for herself, no time to date or have any kind of social life. And as far as she could see, that's the way it would always be.

She didn't see a sign of anything changing. But what she couldn't see was right up around the corner was a handful on purpose left there by the creator of the universe. The reason some people never experienced them is because they quit pressing forward. They're always looking back, wondering why something happened and why somebody left and why they didn't get that break. No, shake that off. get up every morning, put your oil on.

Thank God for his favor. Thank him that he's directing your steps. That's what this young lady began to do. And one day, a couple that lived down the street, she barely even knew them, they bought her a brand new car. She was able to sell her old car, pay off some debts.

Now she doesn't have to work those long hours. That one gift took the pressure off. She said, Joel, it's just like a load has been lefted off of me. What was that? handful on purpose. God causing people to make her life easier. And some of you are living so worried and so stressed about your future, you need to come back to that place of peace. When you're in peace, it's a position of power. You're saying, God, I trust you. Like Ruth, I may not see a way,

but I know you still have a way. So I'm going to go out each day being my best, being productive at work, being a blessing to somebody else, not looking back, regretting the past, but I'm pressing forward in faith. When you do that, you might as well get ready. You're going to come across your handfuls on purpose. I read a story about this little eight-year-old girl. She overheard her parents talking about her little brother. He was very sick and in desperate need of an operation. They had spent all their funds so much so. They had to move out of their house. And into a small apartment. The dad told the mom, the only thing that will save him now is a miracle. The little girl got her piggy bank and emptied all the coins out. She counted them carefully

one by one. She had exactly a dollar and 11 cents. She went down the street to the local pharmacy. And at the counter, she waited and waited for the pharmacist to stop talking to this other man. But they talked and talked and she became more and more impatient. She started rattling her coins together and scuffling her feet, making more noise. The more she fidgeted, the more annoyed the pharmacist got. Finally, he said, young lady, I'm going to be with you in just a moment, but I'm talking to my brother. I haven't seen him in a long time. She said, no, I don't have a moment.

My little brother is sick, and I need to buy a miracle. He looked kind of puzzled and said, you need to buy what? She said, I need to buy a miracle. My little brother needs an operation. How much does a miracle cost? The pharmacist's brother stooped down and said, honey, what kind of miracle does your brother need? She said, I don't know, but Daddy doesn't have the money to pay for it,

so I want to use my own. He said, how much do you have? She said, a dollar and 11 cents. He smiled and said, what do you know? That's exactly how much a miracle cost. He took her by the hand and said, take me to see your parents. I want to talk to them. That man was a well-known surgeon. He specialized in neurosurgery. It just so happened. That's the exact type of operation the little boy needed.

Long story short, he did the operation without charge, and it wasn't any time for the little boy was doing just fine. The mother asked later, I wonder how much this operation would have really cost. The little girl knew a dollar and eleven cents. plus the faith of a little child. What am I saying? God knows every need you will ever have. He has already lined up the right people. He's already lined up the right breaks.

You don't have to figure it all out, how you're going to get out of debt, how you're going to get well, how you're going to survive the difficult times. All you have to do is have the faith of a little child. Dare to believe that God is in control. Believe that he's got you in the palm of, his hand. Believe that in your future are handfuls on purpose. Psalm 126 in the message translation says,

it seemed like a dream, too good to be true when God gave us the victory. Now God do it again. So those with heavy hearts will come out laughing with armloads of blessings. That's God's dream. When you have a heavy heart, when life deals you a difficult blow, God wants to to turn it around and not only bring you out, but bring you out with a smile, better off than you were before with armloads of blessings. That's what he did for this family. It was more than they could even ask or think. And I don't know about you, but I've seen God do amazing things. I've experienced firsthand some of those armloads of blessings. When I look back over my life, I can say with the psalmist, it's like a dream, too good to be true.

now my prayer is for each one of you. My prayer is God, do it again, do it for my friends. Show them your unprecedented favor. Pour out your goodness, your blessings, your mercy, your grace. God let their dreams suddenly come to pass. Know this today. If God did it for me, if he did it for Ruth, if he did it for that little boy that needed an operation,

he can certainly do it for you. Get up each day with expectancy. have the attitude, God, I'm looking for my handfuls on purpose. I'm looking for those armloads of blessings that you've already placed in my path. When you release your faith like that, it's going to lead you to the good things God has in your future. I know some of you today have been struggling in a certain area for a long time, but I just want to declare it again. This is a new day. You are coming into your anointing of ease.

You're going to feel a supernatural strength. God is going to give you a new grace to face those challenges. Things you've struggled with in the past are not going to be a struggle anymore. Like Ruth, you're going to get breaks that you did not deserve. Those problems you've dealt with for years, suddenly they're going to turn around. You might as well get ready because God is not going to just bring you out. He's going to bring you out laughing, full of joy, full of faith, full of victory. Do you receive it today?

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 O'S-Deen 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.