Joel Osteen Podcast - You Are Not Damaged Goods | Joel Osteen

Episode Date: August 21, 2024

No injustice or disappointment can keep you from your destiny. It's time to let go of the past and move into the incredible future God has for you!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 visitJoelOsteen.com/GiveHope.Dispel worry and gain newfound hope! This August, we are offeringPower Up: A 21-Day Action Plan to Transformative Thinking.Receive the truth about what God says about you and transform your thoughts from Day 1. Take a step up toward powerful living today, https://bit.ly/46jp0ZX!    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.

Hope you're having a great summer. Know that we're praying for you. We know God has awesome things in store. So great having you with us. Enjoy the message today. Well, God bless you. It's always 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 promise you we'll make you feel right at home. But thanks so much for tuning in. Thank you again for coming out. I like to start with something funny. And I heard about this group of school children. They were in the cafeteria line. at their Catholic elementary school.

At the first of the line, there was a big bowl of apples. A nun had written a note, Take only one, God is watching. At the end of the line, there was a big bowl of chocolate chip cookies. One of the children had written a note, Take all you want. God is watching the apples. Hold up your Bible and 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 how you are not damaged goods.

I was in a grocery store and down one of the aisles, there was a whole section called damaged goods. It was mostly canned products that had been marked down because of some kind of flaw. The can was dented, the label was torn, the color was off. The store couldn't sell it for the full price because they had an imperfection. They were considered less valuable, inferior damaged goods. What's interesting is if you bought one of those cans, you opened it up, can of corn, can of peas, can of peaches, you'd find there's nothing wrong with the inside.

The can may have been dented, but it didn't affect the contents. The label may have been torn. On the outside it wasn't perfect, but on the inside where it matters, there was no difference. The damaged goods peaches that were sold for half price tasted just as good as the peaches that were sold for full price. The corn, the peas may have been labeled inferior, less than, but that's all it was, just a label. It's the same principle in life. All of us in some way have been damaged. You can't live. You can't live, very long without making a mistake, being hurt by someone, going through a breakup, damaged by a divorce, damaged by an unhealthy childhood, damaged by an addiction. Too many people go around wearing the damaged goods label, feeling washed up, less than, focused on their mistakes, focused on what

they've been through. No, you've got to get out of that section. That's not where you belong. You may have been dented on the outside, but like those cans, there's nothing wrong with the inside. That setback did not affect your DNA. That loss, that disappointment didn't change who you are. That mistake, the failure, the weakness didn't stop your destiny. You may have been bruised on the outside, but on the inside, you still have the blood of a winner. You still have the DNA of Almighty God. You've been crowned with favor. You are full of potential, talent, creativity, wisdom. There is nothing wrong with your contents. Listen, people can't keep you from your destiny. Bad breaks can't stop you. Weaknesses can't stop you. The only thing that can really stop you is you.

If you wear the damaged goods label, it can keep you from becoming all God's created you to be. I don't believe in giving anyone the right to feel sorry for themselves. Life happens to us all. If you get knocked down, get back up and go again. If you have a bad break, don't sit around in self-pity, shake it off and move forward. If you make a mistake, don't go through life beating yourself up. Receive God's mercy and do better next time. You may have failed, but you're not a failure.

You may have lost, but you're not a failure. a loser. You may have had unfair things happen, but you're not a victim. You're a victor. Now, do yourself a favor. Take off the damaged goods label. Quit thinking about your mistakes. Who hurt you? What didn't work out? God knows every person that's done you wrong. Every disappointment, every struggle, every bad break. And he's promised if you will stay in faith, he will pay you back double for the unfair things that have happened. I've heard it said, God can bring greatness out of a great mess. Sometimes we focus on the mess, the dysfunction, the broken dream, the weakness, but in all the mess, God sees greatness. He knows how to take your troubles and turn them into

trophies, how to take the test and make it your testimony. This is what happened to a young boy named Ishmael. He was the child that Abraham had out of wedlock with Sarah's maid Hagar. Ishmael wasn't the promised child. He was born out of Abraham and Sarah's impatience. They got tired of waiting year after year. They knew they had a promise, but it wasn't happening as fast as they would like. So Sarah talked to her husband, Abraham, into sleeping with her maid Hagar, and they had this little baby boy named Ishma. Ishmael was born into a dysfunctional. home. He was born into distrust, confusion, chaos. He would have been considered damaged goods, a mistake, not the right one. The funny thing is, it was Sarah's idea, but she got mad at Abraham

for having a baby with another woman. Sarah turned on Hagar, her once trusted maid, and now she can't stand the woman. She told Abraham, you better get your mistress and her son out of my life. really, really fast. You're talking about a messed up situation. They were in a love triangle and they were all living in the same house. You think there's drama in your home? You should have been

in Abraham's home. And he's called the father of our faith. That gives me hope for my own family. It got so bad that Sarah gave Abraham an ultimatum either your mistress

and her son leaves or I'm out of here. Abraham ended up sending Hagar and his son Ishmael out into the desert. Now think about Ishmael. He's the innocent one in this whole ordeal. He didn't get to choose who his parents

would be. He didn't choose what family he would be born into. He didn't do anything wrong. He just showed up and life threw him out into the cold. Could have had a chip on his shoulder. Oh God, this is not fair. Why was I born into this mess? Why

is my mother a mistress? Why couldn't I be Isaac, the promised child, and stay here with my family? He had all these disadvantages. He could have seen himself as damaged goods and just faded off into the sunset. But here's the mercy of God. God said in Genesis 21, I will bring out of Ishmael a great nation. We know God did great things with Isaac, but we don't always realize, God did something great with Ishmael. God was saying this child that's been born into dysfunction. This child that's had bad breaks, been put at a disadvantage, seen as damaged goods, I haven't written him off. He's not a mistake. I still have a plan. I'm going to bring greatness out of this great mess. You may be in a situation now that feels dysfunctional. Seems like a mess. In your family,

your health, your finances, your career. You don't see how any good could ever come out of it. But if Ishmael were standing here today, he would say, hey, let me tell you, firsthand, God still has a plan. Doesn't matter how you were raised, how many bad breaks you've had, how insignificant you may feel, no dysfunction, no injustice, no disappointment can keep you from your destiny. God can bring greatness out of a great mess. Most of the time, we, see Ishmael as a mistake, an accident. Sarah and Abraham didn't wait for the promised child. But the truth is, no baby is a mistake. A child cannot be born without God breathing life into their lungs. We hear parents say, we weren't expecting this baby. They were a surprise. And yes,

they may have been a surprise to you, but they were not a surprise to the giver of life. in God's eyes, there's no such thing as an unwanted pregnancy. You didn't just happen to show up on planet Earth. God had a plan for you long before you arrived. God told Jeremiah, before you were formed in your mother's womb, I knew you and called you to be a prophet to the nations. God already had an assignment for him before he got here. God was saying, Jeremiah, you didn't.

start when your mother gave birth to you, before you were formed, you were with me. In other words, our past didn't start with our family. It started with our God. I didn't come from my mother, and I love and honor my mother, but I didn't come from her. I came through her. I came from Almighty God. That means your destiny, your assignment, your purpose cannot be messed up by who you came through, you came from the Most High God. He has the ultimate say. In 1943, a teenager here in Houston became pregnant from a forced, violent act. The young lady was distraught and confused. She planned on aborting the child, but some friends talked her into having the baby and putting it up for adoption. The little boy was born at the charity

ward at St. Joseph's Hospital. He grew up in extreme poverty. His father was an alcoholic. More than once he threatened to kill his mother. Like Ishmael, this little boy could have been seen as damaged goods. A mistake.

No future to speak of. But God doesn't give life to someone without giving them a divine destiny. And with the help of some loving foster parents, this little boy grew up to become one of the greatest ministers of our time.

Today, over 70 years later, our friend James Robinson has made a difference in people's lives around the world. What am I saying? What looked like a mistake was not a mistake at all. If you're breathing today, if you're alive, and I believe you are, you are not an accident. No matter how functional or dysfunctional your situation is, God has a destiny. for you to fulfill. You may have had a negative past, but you don't have to have a negative future. This is a new day. And if you will take off the damaged goods label, get rid of the victim mentality

and have a victor mentality, God will take what's meant for harm and he'll use it for your good. I love the fact that with Ishmael, God brought something significant out of a child that was considered insignificant. That tells me you don't have to come from the most influential family. You don't have to have a perfect upbringing. The truth is, there is dysfunction in every family. I would love to tell you that our family is perfect, but then my brother Paul came along.

I heard somebody say, our family put the funk in dysfunction. But here's the key, seriously, don't let your heredity stop your destiny. Don't let how you were raised, what your parents did. or didn't give you. How somebody treated you set the limits

for your life. They may have put you at a disadvantage, but you don't have to stay at a disadvantage. I know people 60 years old still talking about what mama didn't give them, how daddy wasn't there. Now I'm not making light of that, because those can be real hurts,

but talking about it's not going going to make it any better. Having a poor old me, damaged goods mentality is not going to help. You've got to take the hand you bend up. You've and make the most of it. Your situation most likely is no worse

than Ishmael. He had all kinds of disadvantages, kicked out of his home, seen as a mistake, yet God brought a great nation out of him. If you will remove the damaged goods label, shake off the self-pity, move forward in faith,

God will make something significant out of your life. You will leave your mark on this generation. I read about a lot. young lady. She was born into a dysfunctional home. She was neglected, abused, never had any kind of stability. Got so bad as a little girl, she asked the authorities at school to be removed from her home. The judge placed her in foster care. Several months later, she was adopted by a single parent mother living in a small community dedicated to helping foster care children. She began to thrive in school,

became an honor student, someone that the other young ladies looked up to. One day, she was invited, along with the other people that ran the foster care community, to be a guest on a national television talk show. The host asked the young ladies what their hopes and dreams were. She said, my dream is to one day

go to Harvard University, get a good education, so I can help other people, like those that have helped me. A few days later, she received, received a phone call from out of state. The lady said, I saw you on the talk show. I have a question for you, would you consider a scholarship to Yale University instead of Harvard? She said, I think I would. She went on to graduate from Yale, and today is doing great things. Don't let your heredity

stop your destiny. God can bring greatness out of a great mess. Now, I wonder how many of us would rise to a new level if we'd quit blaming the past, how we were raised, what somebody said, if we'd take off the damaged goods label, we would see God's favor in a new way. And I found there's always

something to try to make us feel badly about ourselves. It's because the enemy is called the accuser of the brethren. He'll remind you of every mistake you've made, every unfair situation, every negative comment about you. He would love

for you to go through life feeling damaged, guilty, less than. You got to put your foot down and say, no, I'm not falling into that trap. I'm not bitter because of what happened. I'm not dwelling on their negative comments. I'm not beating myself up over past mistakes. I'm going to keep that label off and move forward with my life. When I was growing up, I played baseball all through little league and junior high. I was a second baseman and I was pretty good. I always made the all-star team. Like most little leaguers, my dream was to one day play professional baseball. But when I got in high school, it was a whole new level of talent. I was very small. I grew six inches after high school. I tried out for the baseball team, along with 150 other young men for less than 20 spots. I gave it

my best. The coach called us all into the gym to announce who made the team. My name wasn't called. I was so disappointed. The coach told me that afterwards, Joel, I'd love to have you on the team. You're just too little. And he didn't mean anything about it because I was small, but I took it the wrong way. Week after week, month after month,

that phrase would play in my mind. You heard the coach, Joel, you're too small. You don't measure up. You're not good enough. There's something wrong with you. Negative voices will always play the loudest. If you don't take control of your thought life, every hurt, every critic, every derogatory comment will play again and again.

Now, I was tempted to let the damaged goods label stick feel inferior, insecure. I had to keep reminding myself, people may have said that I'm too small, but God says I'm fearfully and wonderfully made. People may have said I'm not good enough, but God says I'm a masterpiece. People may have rejected me, but I know God accepts me. 1. Peter 2 says, you have been chosen by God himself. One translation says he has handpicked you. That means you weren't randomly selected. God on purpose said, I choose him. I choose her. That's who I want to be on my team. And people may tell you you don't measure up. You're not tall enough, smart enough, talented enough, creative enough. Let it go in one ear and out the other.

You are not who people say you are. You are who God says you are. God says you're just the right size. You're one of a kind, equipped, empowered, valuable. Our attitude should be, I may not have been chosen by the coach, the teacher, the friend, the supervisor, the boss, but that's okay. I know the one who matters most. The one who controls the universe.

The one who spoke worlds into existence has handpicked me. I've been chosen by the most high God. Friends, God has the final say. If you'll stay in faith, he'll get you to where he wants you to be. My dream of playing professional baseball may not have worked out, but do you know some 30 years later, I stood at second base at Yankee Stadium. Wasn't playing baseball.

We were having a night of hope, but I still like that too. It would have never happened if I would have worn the damaged goods label. As long as we feel less than inferior washed up, it will keep you from the amazing things God has in store. And sometimes we feel damaged, not because how we were raised or what somebody said, but because of our own mistakes, our own weaknesses, our shortcomings. We think, oh, Joel, I can't expect anything good. God would never use me. You don't know what I've done.

But if that were the case, if God could only use you if you didn't have any negative baggage, then none of us would have had a chance. Think about Peter, one of the disciples. He was hot-tempered. He used bad language. He denied he knew Christ three times. When Jesus needed him the most, he turned his back and said,

no, I don't even know the man. Surely Jesus would say, fine, Peter. You turn your back on me and I'm done with you. You had your chance. You're damaged goods. No, God never writes anybody off. Jesus, when he arose from the grave, an angel appeared to Mary at the tomb and said Mary, Jesus has risen. Now go tell his disciples

and Mary, make sure that you tell Peter. The only one God specifically called out at that historic time was Peter. Why? God knew the accuser would work overtime, trying to stick that damaged goods label on Peter. If he had warned it, he had never fulfilled his destiny. So God specifically called his name. Like Peter, you may have made mistakes. Blown it, failed. You're not expecting anything good. Imagine right now, God is specifically calling your name, saying, tell James, tell Susan, tell Maria, I've already forgiven you. My mercy is bigger than that mistake. I've got a destiny for you to fulfill. Now, you've got to shake off the guilt. Quit living condemned. Take off the damaged goods label. You wouldn't.

be alive unless God had something amazing in your future. If you were truly damaged goods unusable, God would have taken you on home. God has a purpose for you. Your assignment is too important. Your destiny too great. Your

time too valuable to live another moment thinking that you're damaged goods. Shake it off and move forward into the bright future God has in store. This is what my father had to do. Daddy was married at a very early age. It wasn't a good choice. The marriage didn't last. He was devastated. He thought

his ministry was over, didn't think he'd ever have a family. Unfortunately, some of the people in his life weren't very merciful. They told him, you're not welcome in our church. You had your chance, but you blew it. They stuck the damaged goods label on my father, washed up, unusable. Daddy didn't know any better. he ended up resigning from the church and started selling insurance. And sometimes your own thoughts will accuse you. Other times, the enemy will use people to accuse you. They'll tell you all the reasons you could never become what you were created to be. Don't believe those lies.

God knew every mistake you'd ever make and he's already arranged a comeback. And when you're tempted and we all are to look down on people, find fault, be critical, you need to realize where that's coming from. That's the accuser's influence. Jesus always lifted the fallen, restored the broken, showed mercy to those that had failed. For several years, my father lived, depressed, defeated, no passion. One day, he realized what I'm telling you. You don't have to wear the damaged goods label. You may have made poor choices, gone through failures, but our God is the God of another chance. His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting. His calling will never leave your life. Now quit listening to the accusing voices. Quit letting people make you feel washed up. They don't determine your destiny.

God does. My father got back in the ministry. He went on to pastor churches for over 50 years, was married to my mother for 44 years. He saw God restore him and do amazing things. God can do the same thing for each one of us. This scripture talks about how Jeremiah went down to the potter's house. He was watching this potter working at the wheel, spinning around this clay pot, this vessel again and again. At one point it says the vessel became marred in the potter's hands. That means it was broken, had flaws, defects. But the potter didn't throw it into the damaged goods pile. Say too bad. I've got to get something better to work with. this is not usable. No, it says the potter begin to remake the vessel once again.

When it was all said and done, it came out stronger, more beautiful than it was before. The potter, of course, represents God. We are the clay. All of us have flaws and weaknesses. We go through failures, disappointments, unfair situations. At times, it's like we end up broken, hurt, disappointed, but that is not the end of your story. If you will stay in faith and not get bitter, not get down on yourself, God will take your broken pieces, your hurts, the weaknesses, the unfair situations, and he will use them to not just put you back together, but he'll make you into something better, stronger, more beautiful than if it had not happened.

I've heard it said like this. Any chef can cook something good when they have good ingredients, a good oven, good recipes, good tools. That's easy. But it takes a master chef to take ingredients that are not perfect. Ingredients that are bitter, sour, and still make something good out of it. That's the way God is. He's not just a chef. He's a master chef. He can take any ingredient that you give him. Anything you've been through, your hurts, the disappointments, the unfair situation. and mix them together and still make something out of your life more than you ever dreamed of. Why don't you take off the damaged goods label?

You're not working with an ordinary chef. You're working with the master chef, the creator of the universe. At times in life, you may get dented, but you've got to remember, just like those cans, there's nothing wrong on the inside. You are still a child of the most high God filled with possibilities. Now do your part, shake off the guilt. Quit listening to the accusing voices and move forward with your life. If you do this, I believe and declare God will bring greatness out of a great mess. Like Ishmael, he will make something significant out of your life.

Like with my father, God will not only restore you, but he'll bring you out better off than you were before. In Jesus' name, if you receive it. Can you say amen 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'll take you places that you've never dreamed of. Our negative thinking can short-circuit God's power and blessing in our lives. When you say, I always seem to worry. I can't forgive what was done to me. I pray, but it feels like God doesn't hear.

I won't have enough to provide for me and my family. How do you overcome this type of negative thinking that limits you from God's best? Our thinking sets the limits for our life. Every morning you have to power up your mind, get it going in the right direction, by dwelling on what God says about you. When you think thoughts of faith, hope, and victory, you'll tap into blessing and favor that belongs to you. I'd love to send you my newest book.

It's called Power Up. I'll show you how to delete negative thoughts and focus on the promises rather than the problems. You can discover God's unprecedented power in your life. As our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount to the ministry this month, Joel and Victoria would like to send you this, life-altering resource. Power up, a 21-day action plan to transformative thinking. God wants to

power up every area of your life. Your relationships, career, finances, health. He wants to bless it all, but sometimes negative thinking can short-circuit the truth. This resource reconnects those power lines, providing the free flow of God's eternal promises. Remember, wherever you're at, whatever you're facing, you can make the choice to power up. and access God's promises. When your mind is going in the right direction, your life will go in the right direction. Start powering up each day and watch what God will do. Victoria and I want you to know that we pray for you and your family.

We appreciate your prayer and support. Your generosity is impacting so many lives. Remember, you can watch the services live online every Sunday morning. Download our daily podcast, watch our YouTube channel, Listen on Sirius XM, and until we meet again, may the Lord bless you and keep you. Be sure to request your copy of Power Up, a 21-day action plan to transformative thinking. Today, visit Joel Osteen.com or call us toll-free.