Joel Osteen Podcast - You Are Good Seed

Episode Date: August 23, 2020

When God breathed His life into you, He filled you with greatness and purpose. Like good seed planted in the dirt, you were created to rise above every obstacle.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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God wouldn't have breathed his life into you. He wouldn't have chosen you before you could choose him if you didn't have purpose, destiny, greatness. There's something in you that will cause you to leave your mark. 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. God bless you. It's great to have you with us today. I know God has amazing things in your future. I hope you'll stay connected with us all through the week. You can download our podcast, listen to the message at any time, or you can go to our YouTube channel. But thanks for tuning in. I like to start with something funny. I heard about this country grandmother. She'd go out on her front porch every morning and thank the Lord for another day. Her neighbor didn't believe in God.

He'd shout back, there's no such thing as the Lord. One day he overheard her asking God to give her groceries for the week. He snuck over early the next morning, put groceries on her front porch. She came out and said, thank you, Lord, you did it again. He laughed and said, God didn't give you those groceries. I put them there. She said, Lord, thank you. You not only sent me the groceries, but you made the devil pay for them.

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 you are good seed. Life tries to convince us that we're average. There's nothing special about us. We have too many obstacles. We'll never accomplish our dreams. We've made too many mistakes. We'll never leave our mark. We don't realize who we are. The scripture says we have the divine nature of God. We are his offspring. That means you have the DNA of Almighty God. In your seed is favor, creativity, courage, new levels. You can't have God's DNA and be average.

That seed will override challenges. That seed will propel you where you can't go on your own. If you're going to reach your potential, you have to know you are a good seed. God wouldn't have breathed his life into you. He wouldn't have chosen you before you could choose him if you didn't have purpose, destiny, greatness. There's something in you that will cause you to leave your mark. You may have made mistakes, but that didn't stop the seed. You may have come from negative circumstances, but that doesn't change your seed. Don't let how you were raised, what you didn't get, any dysfunction, convince you

that you're not up to par. You can't do something great. The environment doesn't change the seed. You can have bad circumstances, but because you're good seed, you're still going to shine. You're still going to blossom. A young lady told me how when her mother was pregnant with her, she was addicted to drugs. When she was born, she had the same addiction. It seemed like she was at a disadvantage. She was sent from foster home to foster home. All the odds were against her, but today she's successful.

She runs her own company. She has healthy children, a great marriage. Why is that? Bad circumstances can't stop a good seed. Can I tell you, you are good seed. God has crowned you with favor. You have royal blood flowing through your veins. You wouldn't be here if you weren't equipped, empowered, and anointed.

You may have been raised in an unhealthy environment by people that had issues. But here's the key. You came through your mother, but you came. from Almighty God. Who you come from is more important than who you come through. And the soil may not always be perfect, but because your seed is so good, you will succeed despite the dysfunction. You will prosper despite the economy. You will raise great children despite negative influences. You will overcome the illness despite what the medical report says. All these negative circumstances, really, they're just fertilizer.

They can't stop your seed. The stinky stuff, the bad breaks, the people that walked away, we don't like it, but it didn't stop your destiny. It simply fertilized your seed. It made you stronger, more confident. Don't complain about the fertilizer. You need fertilizer to boost your growth. We have some flower beds at home.

A couple of times a year, we put mulch in them. One of the main ingredients of mulch is manure. It smells so badly, you can hardly stay outside. But in a couple of months, the smell is gone and the plants are blooming, blossoming, seeing new growth. The fertilizer, as stinky as it smells, it's providing valuable nutrients and minerals for the plants. And sometimes life stinks. We go through things that are not fair. we came down with an illness, our child is struggling, the business has slowed, we think these negative

circumstances are going to stop us. Have a new perspective, it's fertilizer. It stinks, but it's not working against you, it's working for you. God is going to take what was meant for your harm and turn it to your advantage. It was meant to stop you, but if you'll keep believing, keep thanking God, keep doing the right thing, you're going to come out stronger, healthier, better than you were before. Don't sweat the stinky stuff. We all have fertilizer, that coworker that gets on your nerves, always trying to stir up trouble. Next time you see them, instead of being frustrated under your breath,

you're just fertilizer, you're trying to push me down. You don't realize I'm good seed. I have the DNA of Almighty God. what He's destined for you, no person can stop. What God has put in your seed, that greatness, that purpose, no sickness, no addiction, no trouble. All the forces of darkness cannot keep your seed from flourishing. Just ask Joseph, betrayed by his brothers, thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused, put in prison, one bad break after another. He could have been depressed.

God, you said I'd be in leadership. I must have heard you wrong. He understood this principle that bad circumstances cannot stop good seed, that negative situations are simply fertilizer. They're necessary so you can bloom. When his brothers betrayed him, instead of trying to get even, his attitude was, they just fertilized me. When Potipers' wife falsely accused him, I'm not worried, more fertilizer. One day, unexpectedly, the Pharaoh called for Joseph. He went to the palace. He ended up making Joseph the prime minister of Egypt. When you understand that you are good seed, that what God promised will come to pass, then you won't complain about the fertilizer. The fertilizer is necessary. Yes, it stinks. Yes,

it's uncomfortable, but it's making that seed stronger. It's developing your character. It's giving you endurance. It's getting you prepared to blossom in position to see the greatness of our God. I talked to a man that was so upset because his boss was against him, always trying to make him look bad. I told him what I'm telling you. It's fertilizer. Stay on the high road and God will not only do a work in you, but he'll take care of your enemies. It may stink right now, but don't worry, fertilizer stinks. That means you're about to see new growth. He got his passion back and went to the office being his best, taking the high road, working under God, not under man. Several occasions he should have been promoted, but because of this unfair boss, he was passed over. One day the CEO of the whole

company was in town, and this man had to give a report. The CEO was very impressed with his work. About a year later a position came available that should have gone to his boss, but this CEO skipped over the boss and went straight to this man and offered the position to him. Now, instead of having to work for that boss, it was hard to get along with, the tables have turned. The boss is working for him. One touch of God's favor, and you'll go from the back to the front, from the prison to the palace. Well, Joel, I've got a lot of fertilizer on me. I have a lot of fertilizer on me. I have a lot coming against me. That tells me you're about to blossom in an amazing way. You wouldn't have that difficulty. You wouldn't have all the fertilizer if God wasn't about to do something awesome in your

life. I was out on my driveway the other day and I saw this weed growing up in the middle of the concrete. I thought, how is that possible? The concrete is hard. There's no good soil. The conditions are totally unfavorable. But when God wants your seed to come up, concrete can't stop it. Bad breaks can't stop it. The life God put in you is more powerful than any force that's trying to hold you back. Think about a little seed even planted in the ground. The dirt that's on top of it is hundreds of times heavier. People can walk on top of the dirt, push it down, compact it, make it harder. The seed doesn't look like it has a chance. The dirt could say, too bad, you're done. You'll never overpower me. I'm bigger, stronger, heavier. But the seed doesn't worry. The seed doesn't start complaining.

I thought I was supposed to grow. I thought I was going to be a beautiful flower. I guess it wasn't meant to be. No, the seed just rest in what God created it to be. The seed doesn't have to do the work. it lets the life put in it by its creator do the work. Before long, that little seed opens up, and against all odds, it begins to push back the dirt. Over time, it's standing above the ground with beautiful flowers shining brightly. You may have some dirt on you now. Don't worry, you are good seed. What God put in you is more powerful than what's trying to stop you.

Like that little seed, you don't have to make it happen. happen, try to manipulate things, force it to work, live stressed out. No, you can rest, knowing that the seed is going to do the work. The scripture says, God watches over his word to perform it. His word is called seed. In the same way, God is watching over your seed. He's making sure what he put in you is going to come to pass. good seed is not stopped by bad circumstances. Good seed is not stopped by opposition. In life, you'll have some dirt put on you. At times, it feels like you're buried.

You'll never get past this sickness, this trouble, this addiction. It's dark. You feel pressure all around. You don't see a way out. The good news is you're not buried, you're planted. The difference is when you're buried, you're done. But when you're planted, you're coming up again. Stronger, healthier, more successful.

But here's the key. Being planted feels the same as being buried. It's dark. It's uncomfortable. We don't see anything good. There's pressure. If you judge things too soon, you'll get discouraged. Give up on your dreams.

Think it will never work out. God has you hearing this to let you know you're not buried. You're planted. it. Yes, it's uncomfortable. Yes, you don't understand it, but this is not the end. The seed God put in you is about to spring forth. The dreams, the health, the freedom, the abundance, the right people. Don't be discouraged by the dirt. The seed is designed to push back the dirt. It's designed to outlast the opposition. The seed will not fail. The life of Almighty God is in that seed. My granddad, father was a great gardener. He loved to plant things. He knew how to grow all kinds of fruits,

vegetables, flowers. One thing that made him so good at gardening is he knew when to plant. He knew there was a specific time to plant tomatoes, a specific time to plant roses. Just because he had good seed, if he didn't plant it at the right time, it wouldn't become what it should. He didn't just randomly plant whenever he felt like it. He did it. strategically. He made sure it was the right season and all the conditions were in place so the seed could grow. Jesus said in John 15 that God is the gardener. He knew exactly when to plant you. You could have been born 300 years ago. You could have lived 200 years from now. You didn't just happen to show up on planet earth today. Your parents just decided to have a baby. God knew

you before you were formed in your mother's womb. And when God as the master gardener thought about when to plant you, he didn't just randomly do it. Just pick a date, pick any time. God is strategic. Like my grandfather knew there was a specific time to plant. God looked down through the ages of time. He studied what would be going on, what the economy would be like, the culture, the technology, the opposition. He took into account everything we would face. Then he put his DNA in us. He matched us for the season we would live in. The scripture says in Acts 17, God predetermined when you would be born, where you would be born, and what tribe, what family you would come from. Before your parents ever breathe the breath, before they ever showed up, God already knew you and chose

when you would live. He planted you for this time. This is your moment. You've been equipped and empowered. He's put his anointing on your life, his favor. You have the talent, the courage, the connections. Everything has been strategically thought out. You're not lacking. The obstacles you face are not too much for you. If you couldn't handle it, God wouldn't have planted you now. If the giants were too big, you wouldn't be here. If the dream wasn't attainable, you wouldn't have breath. You are here for such a time as this. God knew there would be a pandemic. He knew there'd be people trying to stop you. He knew about that illness you'd have to face, the opposition that looks too big. The fact that he planted you now tells me the conditions are right for you to succeed. The conditions are right for you to leave your mark.

circumstances may not be good, but God wouldn't have planted you at this time if the soil wasn't conducive for your seed to grow. And sometimes the soil may feel like concrete, but you have to remind yourself, you're still going to blossom. You're still going to flourish. Why? You're a good seed. You've been strategically planted by the master gardener. You're not like a weed. You just randomly popped up, randomly got here with no purpose. No, your destiny has been carefully planned. When you understand that you've been chosen for this time, it will give you a greater confidence. God could have chosen David to live now. He could have chosen Abraham, Sarah, Ruth. But when he strategized about who will be the right people for the year 2020, who can I trust in that difficult time?

Who has the courage, the talent, the fortitude to carry out my will, to do awesome things? He passed over all the saints of old. He looked beyond Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Mary, Martha, and he looked into your eyes. He said, that's who I can count on. That's the right one for this hour. He didn't just send you here on your own. He put his DNA in you. He equipped you with what you need to succeed at this stage.

time. You may not have what Moses had, but you don't need what he had. God planted you now because this is the right time for you to flourish, to blossom, to accomplish dreams, to overcome obstacles, to leave your mark. Even in the natural, do you know what a miracle it is that you were conceived? When your seed was trying to connect with your mother's egg, there were 250 million sperm fighting for that one spot. What are the chances that you would win? You're not an accident. When it was your time, God said, all right, I'm going to plant them now. That's why you could fight off 250 million and your seed connected. You entered that womb. God destined you to be here. Before you showed up, you defied the odds. Before you were born, you defeated giants. You're

already an overcomer. You're already victorious. You were born with favor. Without God's blessing, you would have never made it into this world. Here's my point. God wouldn't have gone to all that trouble if you were average. He wouldn't have carefully and strategically planned out your destiny if you were just supposed to drift through life, overcome by problems, struggle to make it. He chose you because you are good seed. You have greatness in you. You have greatness in you. You are destined to take your family to a new level. After all God is done, handpicked you for this time, put his DNA in you, crowned you with his favor, don't you dare go through life thinking you're ordinary.

I can't overcome this challenge. I'll never get well. I've reached my limits. God wouldn't have planted you now if that was going to stop you. He knew what the economy would be. He knew the struggles, the opposition. The fact that he planted you is a sure sign you are well able to overcome. Well able to raise those children.

Well able to beat that cancer. Well able to accomplish your dreams. Jeremiah said, you will be like a tree planted by the water. A tree not bothered by the heat or long months of drought. Your leaves will stay green. They will keep on producing luscious fruit. Good seed is not affected by the drought. Good seed keeps on producing even in famine.

Good seed outlasts the opposition. Good seed accomplishes dreams bigger than you imagine. I know today I am looking at good seed. I'm looking at people that have been handpicked by the creator of the universe. I'm looking at people that have greatness in them. Great parents, great students. great leaders, people that have great influence, great wisdom, great opportunities. I'm looking at people that are healthy, free, redeemed, restored, victorious. Well, Joel, this sounds good, but I've made a lot of

mistakes. That's why I'm down on myself. That didn't change your seed. You are still good seed. Abraham is the father of our faith. He was a great man, no disrespect, but Abraham lied. told a king that Sarah was his sister and not his wife. Abraham had a baby out of wedlock. He wasn't perfect. He made mistakes. But the scripture says Abraham did not waver in his faith. Lying seems like wavering to me.

Having a baby with someone other than your wife seems like wavering. But God doesn't judge the way we judge. We look at our faults, our weaknesses, the times we failed. we let the accuser fill our mind with condemnation. I'm not good seed. Look at the mistakes I've made. I'm not good seed. I went through a divorce.

My business failed. I'm struggling with an addiction. Do you think you can do something that will change the seed God put in you? That you can override what he breathed into your DNA? You're not that powerful. You can't change what God has already done. He's saying to you, what he said to Jeremiah, I knew you before you were formed in your mother's womb and I approved you.

Before Jeremiah did anything good, before he showed up on planet Earth, God said, I approved you. Too often we're trying to work for God's approval to be good enough, strong enough, disciplined enough. The problem is we all fail. We all make mistakes, but that doesn't change what God put in you. You are still good seed. You can still have fulfilled your destiny. You can still become who you were created to be. Don't let the accuser convince you that you've blown it too many times. You don't measure up.

God will never be pleased with you. God is saying to you today, I've approved you. My hand of favor is on you. I have forgiveness for your mistakes. Mercy for your failures. Favor for your future. I wonder what would happen if every day you would start saying, I am good seed. When the accuser whispers, you're a hypocrite.

Look at your mistakes. Say it again. Father, thank you that I am good seed. That you have mercy for my mistakes. That what you started in my life, you will finish. Good seed will override mistakes you've made. Good seed overrides failures, times you didn't measure up. You've been planted at this time.

not only because God believes in you, but he's equipped you. You are full of can-do power. The forces that are for you are greater than forces that are trying to stop you. God is breathing in your direction right now. Chains that have held you back are being broken. New doors of opportunity are about to open. God is about to show you a sign of his favor. He's going to do something unusual, out of the ordinary,

something that's never happened in your family. It's going to defy the odds. Get ready. The greatness God put in you is about to come out. He doesn't have you here just to take up space. There's an assignment for you to accomplish. Something that only you can do. Without you stepping into your purpose,

this world will not be what it should be. There was a young Jewish lady in the scripture named Esther. She was an orphan. She had lost both of her parents. raised in poverty. She had all these bad breaks. Looked like she was at a disadvantage. She would never do anything great. But bad circumstances can't stop good seed. What didn't work out, how you were raised, who left you, the illness. That didn't stop your destiny. That doesn't mean you'll never leave your mark. Why? Because you are good seed. The most high God breathed his life into you. You're still going to

flourish. You're still going to meet someone great. You're still going to live healthy and whole. You're still going to start that business. The king of Persia decided to have a beauty pageant so he could find a wife. Someone invited Esther to enter. Out of the thousands of girls in the Persian empire, Esther was chosen as the queen, the least likely one. A man named Haman, one of the king's advisors, came up with a plan to get rid of all the Jews. the king didn't know that Esther was Jewish. When her uncle heard about it, he said, you have to talk to the king. Tell him about this plan.

She said, I can't go in without the king holding up his scepter. I could lose my life. Her uncle said, if you remain silent, help for the Jews will come from someone else. But who knows that you were brought to this position for such a time as this? He was saying, Esther, this is what you were born for. This is your time to shine. Esther got her courage up, went in to see the king. She ended up saving the people of Israel.

Who would have thought God would have used this young girl, someone that was seen as insignificant. Yet we're talking about her as one of the heroes of faith. All the odds were against her, but bad circumstances can't stop good seed. Can I tell you again, you are good seed? You don't know the amazing things God has in. store for you. Why don't you start seeing yourself the right way?

Set of focusing on what you don't have, how big the obstacles are, the mistakes you've made, start focusing on the fact that you're a person of destiny. The creator of the universe handpicked you for this particular time. It's your time to shine. It's your time to step into new levels. You may feel like you've been buried, have a new perspective. You're planted. You're about to spring back up, healthier, strong, better than you were before. I believe and declare greatness is about to come out of you. Talent that you didn't know you had, problems are about to turn around, healing is coming, freedom, breakthroughs, opportunities, the fullness of your destiny in Jesus' name.

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 to send you some free information. Just text the number on the screen. I hope you'll get into a good Bible-based church and keep God first place. Thanks so much for listening to today's message.

I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to keep you 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. More than ever before, people are turning to the church for their mental health struggles.

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