Joel Osteen Podcast - You Have Comeback Power | Joel Osteen

Episode Date: January 20, 2021

When you pass through difficulties, you have to remember that you’re not buried; you’re planted. God is going to cause you to come out of that season stronger than you were before.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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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 a joy to come into your homes. We love you.

We know God has great things in store for each one of you. 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 have a good time and we'll make you feel right at home. But thanks for tuning in. Again, thanks for coming out today. I like to start with something funny,

and I heard about this pastor. He decided to skip church one Sunday and go play golf. He told his assistant he wasn't feeling well, and he drove to another city, a golf course there, so nobody would know him. He teed off on the first hole, all of a sudden a huge gust of wind, caught his ball,

carried it an extra hundred yards, and blew it right into the hole. for a 420 yard hole in one. An angel looked at God and said, what'd you do that for? God smiled and said, who's he going to tell? Hold up your Bibles. 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 have comeback power. We all face situations that seem like they could bury us. The loss of a loved one, bad news concerning our health,

a divorce. Those negative thoughts bombard our minds telling us it's over. You've seen your best days. That setback is going to taint your future. That layoff is going to ruin. ruin your career. That illness is always going to limit you. It's easy to feel like we've been buried. But what's interesting is the only difference between being buried and being planted

is the expectancy of what's going to happen next. When you put a seed in the ground, you don't say I'm burying this seed. You say I'm planting this seed because you know it's coming back. Not long ago, one of our rabbits died. I didn't say I'm planting this rabbit. I buried the rabbit. I knew it wasn't coming back. If it did, I sure didn't want to be around. We all face difficulties, but you have the seed of Almighty God on the inside. He breathed his life into you. When you go through disappointments and you're in tough times, you may feel like you've been buried, but the fact is you've simply been planted. That means you're coming back. And you're not only going to come back, you're going to come back better, increased, stronger.

What was meant for your harm, God will use to your advantage. You go in as a seed, but because of the life of God, you come out blossomed, producing even more fruit. Jesus talked about this in John 1224. He said, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and is planted, it will not produce. fruit. You can have a seed on your shelf for a lifetime. It will never become what it was created to be until you put it in the ground. Its potential will never be fully realized until it's planted. As long as it's up on the shelf, where it's comfortable, doesn't have to stretch, doesn't have to deal with any adversities, that potential will remain locked up, dormant on the inside.

only after it's been planted and it goes through the process of germination, the outer shell breaks off, the new growth springs forth, that's when it will blossom and produce more fruit. And I'm sure if you were to ask the seed, it would say, I don't want to be planted. It's lonely in the dirt by myself. It's dark. It's uncomfortable. It feels like it's been buried. Can't see any light. People walking on top of it. The truth is, it's not buried, it's only planted. When it's in the ground, in that dark time, something supernatural begins to happen. Although the dirt is hundreds of times more powerful, possibly thousands of times heavier, it cannot hold the seed in. I can imagine the dirt when it feels something sturdy. It says to the little seed, what do you think you're doing?

You can't get out. I'm much more powerful than you. the little seed says, no, no, no. I know a secret. I'm not buried. I'm planted. I may be down right now, but it's temporary. I'm coming back.

I've got the life of God in me. The dirt says, what are you talking about? You're nothing compared to me. You don't have a chance. Something in that seed rises up even stronger and says, no, you cannot keep me down. I've got comeback power in my DNA. I will rise again.

Sure enough, one day, that little seed breaks the surface of the earth. It smiles and says, I told you, I was coming out. It's no longer buried, no longer hidden and alone, no longer has people walking on top of it. It's got a new beginning. Its potential is being realized. As time goes by, instead of being a little seed buried in the ground, grows into a beautiful plant, producing all kinds of bright, colorful flowers. What happened? It went through the process of being planted. had to go through some dark times, some lonely nights, had to push some dirt out of the way. It seemed like it would never see bright days, but it just kept pressing forward, and eventually it became everything God created it to be.

You need to get this deep down in your spirit today. No matter what comes against you in life, you are not buried, you are planted. You may feel like even now that you've got some dirt on top of you, You're in a tough time. Something was unfair. Doesn't look like it's ever going to change. But if you can just keep shaking off the dirt, shaking off the self-pity,

shaking off the lies that are telling you, it's over, you're done, then you too, like that little seed, will begin to feel the life of God spring forth. The same power that raised Christ from the dead is on the inside of each one of you. That sickness will tell you, you can't push me out of the way.

I'm much bigger than you. I've got you buried. Don't believe that lie. Just say like the seed, I'm coming back. I may be laying in the hospital right now, but this sickness is only temporary. This chemo may have taken my strength, my energy, my hair,

but know this today, I've got comeback power. This is not the end, it's only at the beginning. Or this addiction, it may have kept me back for a long time. It may have kept my full potential from being realized. but I'm not staying here. I know my chains have been gone.

I know whom the sun sets free is free indeed. I'm moving the dirt out and I'm coming back. Or how about this? Business may be slow. I may have lost my biggest account, but I know I'm not buried, I'm planted. I know God's got another victory in my future. I know my best days are still out in front of me.

I want you to have this new vision today. God will not let you go through more than you can handle. If you have a big challenge today, that just means you have a big destiny. Extraordinary people face extraordinary difficulties, but the good news is we serve an extraordinary God. He has you in the palm of his hand. In those tough times, you've got to draw the line in the sand and make a declaration, this difficulty is not going to bury me.

This loss, this disappointment, this injustice is not going to cause me to give up on my dreams. I refuse to live in self-pity. I know I am a seed. That means I cannot be buried. I can only be planted. Now, I may be down, but it's only temporary. I know I'm not only coming back. I'm going to come back better off than I was before. I heard a story about a farmer that had an old mule that had fallen into an empty well. It was about 40 or 50 feet deep, and the farmer was so disappointed. He really loved this old mule, but when he surveyed the situation, he realized

it was almost going to be impossible to rescue him. The well was very narrow and he was crammed at the bottom. He figured the mule was probably already seriously injured. As much as he didn't want to, he decided the mule nor the well was worth saving.

So he was just going to fill the well in with dirt and buried the old mule. He called some friends to help and they began to shovel the dirt in one shovel full at a time. And when that old mule felt the dirt hit his back, and he realized what they were about to do, instead of having a pity party, thinking too bad for me, he decided every time he felt the dirt on his back, he would shake it off and step up. Shake it off and step up. Time after time, no matter how he fell, no matter how tired he got, he kept shaking it

off and stepping up, shaking off and stepping up. Finally, after two or three hours of doing that, he was able to step over the wall of the well and walk out triumphantly to freedom. What's interesting is the dirt that was meant to bury him actually saved his life. I'm asking you today, when you feel the dirt hit your back, when life treats you unfair, when you go through disappointments, don't let it bury you. Shake it. off and step up. When the going gets tough, the tough have to get going. The same dirt that's trying to bury you can be the very dirt God will use to promote you. Your attitude should be. I may be down, but I'm not staying down. This difficulty was meant to destroy me. It was meant

to harm me, but I know better. God's going to use it to my advantage. He's going to use it to increase me. Do you know the only difference between a piece of black coal, and a priceless diamond is the amount of pressure that it's endured. How you handle your adversities will make you or break you. If you get bitter and lose your enthusiasm,

you will allow the difficulties of life to bury you. They can keep you from your God-given destiny. But if you will choose to shake it off and step up, that means you keep pressing forward with a smile on your face. You know that God

is in complete control. So you do the right thing, even though the wrong things happening. Instead of complaining, you've got a report of victory. You go around saying, this problem is not going to defeat me. It didn't come to stay. It came to pass. I have strength for

everything I need. I'm equipped, empowered, anointed. I am more than a conquer. When you do that, the seed of victory that is in your DNA will begin to release and help you push the dirt out of the way, and you will blossom into the full

of what God created you to be. You'll go from a piece of coal to a priceless diamond. That's what this one young lady did. She was raised in a very difficult environment. Her father died when she was six years old and not long after that her mother

had to go on dialysis. While other young ladies were out doing cheerleading and playing with their friends, she was at home, taking care of her mother, helping to run to kidney machines. At 12 years old, she was the one that went growth shopping. She cooked for the family. She took care of the little brother, got him dressed and ready for

school. She even wrote the checks for the mom to pay the bills each month. It looked like she was buried. Looked like that disadvantage would keep her from her destiny. But understand, just because you didn't get the same breaks or the same opportunities as somebody else doesn't mean God doesn't still have something great in your future. This young lady knew she wasn't she was planted. Yes, it was difficult. Yes, it was unfortunate, but she just kept shaking it off and stepping up. In spite of the difficulty, she excelled in school. She got a full scholarship to college. She went on to get her master's degree. Today, she's extremely successful. She's happily married, has three beautiful children. She said, Joel, I didn't really have the

chance to have a childhood. I grew up so fast. But I can truly say, God has restored those years and paid me back for doing the right thing, I am happier and more fulfilled than I ever dreamed I could ever be. What happened? Instead of having the victim mentality, she had a victor mentality. God not only brought her out, but she saw her life blossom into the fullness of what God had in store. And I've discovered sometimes the things that we get discouraged about are the very things God is going to use to promote us. God doesn't send the storms, but he uses the storms. He will not allow a trial to come into your life unless he has a purpose for it. When you're in difficult times, know that that challenge was not sent to destroy you, it was sent to promote you, to increase you, to strengthen you. You may not see how right now,

but God has a way. Just like that little seed, God uses adversities to bring potential out of us that we didn't even know we had. That's what happened to me. When my father went to be with the Lord in 1999, in a sense, I felt like I had been buried. Outside of Victoria, my father was my best friend. I'd worked with him closely here at the ministry for 17 years. We'd traveled all over the world. When he died, it seemed like the wind was taken out of myself. It was a struggle making some of the adjustments, but one thing that really helped me was down deep. I knew this thing is

not going to bury me. It's planting me, and somehow, some way, God's going to use it to my good. There were days where it didn't look like anything would ever work out. I had to do like David and just keep encouraging myself. I said, God, I know you're still

on the throne. This loss is not a surprise to you, but you still have something great in my future. God is faithful. God is faithful. He not only brought me through that dark time, but that's when I discovered potential in me that I didn't even know I had. I didn't know I could get up here in minister. The loss of my father is when my seed really blossomed. It was meant to destroy me, but God used it to increase me. When you're in those dark times and you feel like you've been buried, maybe you've

been through some kind of loss and you don't see anything bright in your future, feels like people are walking on top of you, remember there is a process taking place. Like that little seed, new growth is springing forth, new talent, new determination, new opportunities, new friendships. God is birthing something in you greater than you are right now. You have to keep reminding yourself, God is still on the throne. This is not the end. It's only the beginning. I've got comeback power in my DNA. Friends, don't live your life with a chip on your shoulder. Don't go around dwelling on your disappointments, on what didn't work out. Bitterness will keep your seed from taking root.

Self-pity will hinder your growth. Condemnation and feeling like you don't deserve God's goodness will limit how high you can go. Why don't you shake that off and step up over into faith? Understand the only difference between being very Buried and being planted is what you expect. If you expect that difficulty to be the end of you and you give up on your dreams, then even though you're a seed with the life of Almighty God, even though God's already planned your comeback,

because of your own thinking, it won't happen. And I've seen people that have gone through incredible challenges, but right in the middle, they've got a smile on their face, they're hoping, believing, expecting. You know what they're saying? God, I know I'm not buried, I'm planted, and I can't wait to see what you're going to do next. I can't wait to see the new doors you're going to open, the new friends I'm going to meet, the new opportunities I'm going to encounter. If you'll stay in faith like that, your difficulties will lead you to a new fullness. You'll see God blossom your life in ways you've never even imagined.

This is what happened to Job. He went through a nine-month season. when everything that could go wrong did. He lost his business, lost his health, lost his family. It looked like he was buried. Looked like God wasn't even concerned about him. It got so bad, his wife said, Job just curse God and die. She was saying, Job, it's over. You're done.

Just give up. It's funny, sometimes the people that should be encouraging us are doing just the opposite. Don't let anyone talk you out of your dream. don't let someone convince you that you've been buried. Don't listen to the news report so long that you just plan on having a defeated down year. No, no matter what comes you away, it is not a surprise to God.

It was not sent to bury you, it was sent to increase you. You may not see how right now, but God has a way. If you stay in faith, he's going to bring some kind of good out of it. Job was down, but Job was not out. If you read the end of the story,

it tells us that Job came out with twice what he had before. He had twice the livestock, twice the joy, twice the peace, twice the victory. God gave him double for that trouble. When you're in tough times and everything that could go wrong does, you've got to dig your heels in and just say this attack was meant to destroy me, but I've got inside information. It cannot bury me. It's only planting me.

And I'm not only going to come out, I'm going to come out like Job. with twice what I had before. The scripture talks about in James how we should wait for God's promises like a farmer waits for his harvest. I've never seen a farmer plant a crop and then worry night and day as to whether it's going to come up.

He doesn't lose sleep at night. Say, oh, please pray that my corn's going to take root. Please pray that I'm going to have a harvest. No, he waits with a knowing, with a confidence. In fact, he doesn't necessarily hope that it happens. He doesn't even have to believe that it's going to happen. He takes it one step further. He knows that his harvest is on its way.

He's seen it happen time and time again. And really, it's not enough to just hope that your situation turns around. Joel, I hope I get well, or I hope my child straightens up. I sure hope I make it through this slow time at the office. It doesn't look good. No, start waiting like. a farmer. Wait with a knowing, wait with a confidence. Not if it's going to happen, but when it's going to happen. Just like that farmer, he has planted, he's watered, he's fertilized, now he waits

with a knowing. Well, you have stood on God's promises. You have prayed, you have believed, you have watered your seed with your praises. Now it's time to come over into this knowing. It's time to come into an unshakable confidence. Somebody asked you, You still think you're going to get out of debt with the economy as bad as it is? Tell them, I don't think so. I know so. It's just a matter of time. Well, you still think that your child is going to straighten up.

He's as wild as can be. No, I don't think so. I know so. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Well, you really think you're going to get well. I've never seen you look so bad. They must be related to Job's wife. You tell them, I don't think.

think I'm going to get well. I know I'm going to get well. God is restoring health unto me. How about this one? You really think you're going to get married. You've been single so long. I don't think so. I know so. God's bringing the right person into my life. He's bringing me divine connections. You've got to have an unshakable confidence. Just like you know the sun's going come up in the morning. You know God's going to bring about his promises. It may happen this afternoon. It may happen tomorrow, next week, next year, or 20 years from now. But you know that you know that you know, just like that farmer that your harvest is on its way. You've seen God do it in the past and you know he's going to do it again in your future.

It goes on to say that we should wait like Job. Isn't it interesting that of all the people God could have chosen, he chose Job as the example? I believe it's significant. Job was the one that received double. God is saying, while you're waiting for his promises, when the business is slow, when the medical report doesn't look good, don't just expect to come out the same. Don't expect to just survive it. Expect to come out better off than you were before. Expect to come out like Job with twice what you had. In other words, get a bigger vision. Think about when you put a seed in the ground, it never comes up and just gives you one more seed. it doesn't come up equal.

If you plant an apple seed, it grows up into a big tree, it gives you many more apples. It's multiplied over and over. That's what this is saying. We should wait with a confidence, with a knowing that I'm not only coming out, but I'm going to come out multiplied.

Increased in full blossom. I know you may have some difficulties, but don't talk about your problems. Talk about your God. The scripture says let God arise and his enemies will be scattered. When you let God arise in your life and you go out with this unshakable confidence, you're waiting for your harvest like that farmer, knowing that it's going to be better than

expected, you know down deep, no difficulty can defeat you, no person can keep you from your destiny, every setback is only temporary. Instead of complaining, you're saying, I can't wait to see what God's going to do. When you let God arise, You might as well get ready. Your enemies will be scattered. Enemies of sickness. Enemies of debt. Enemies of depression.

Enemies of disappointment. Let me ask you today. What are you letting arise? What are you lifting up? Oh, Joel, man, it's hard. I lost a lot of money in the stock market. My health doesn't look good. Somebody walked out of my relationship.

No, you're letting the wrong things arise. That's defeat, discouragement, self-pity. You need to turn it around. Say, God is still in. control. Somebody may have walked out of a relationship, but I know God's going to bring me somebody better. I may be hurting right now, but I know God is the restorer of my soul. He's giving me beauty for my ashes. May have lost money in the stock market, but I'm not worried. I know God is my provider. He's supplying all of my needs. Somebody may have cheated me in a business deal. No big deal.

God's my vindicator. He'll make my wrongs right. He's fighting my battles. I'm not buried. I know I'm planet. When you let God arise, you can't stay defeated. Your enemies will be scattered. I was thinking about Moses. As a young man, he had a desire to deliver the people of Israel, but he got out of God's timing and he killed a man. He had to run for his life. He spent 40 years on the backside of the desert. Look like he was buried. Look like his dreams would never come to pass. The truth is, he wasn't buried. He was simply planted. He was coming back. He was coming back. Those dreams were still alive. During all those years out there in the wilderness, he didn't get bitter. He didn't get discouraged. He knew God was still in control.

One day, when he was 80 years old, God came and said, Moses, it's time for your comeback. It's time for you to blossom. I've got an assignment for you. Do you know the latter part of Moses' life was much greater than the first part? Some of you today kind of feel like, you're Moses, like you've made too many mistakes. Joel, this sounds good, but I've missed so many opportunities. Listen, God wants the rest of your life to be the most fulfilling, the most rewarding. Those dreams that you once had, they didn't die. They're still alive on the inside. You may have made poor choices, but it didn't bury you. It planted you. That means God has already arranged your comeback. Now, you've got to do your part and get your fire back.

quit living condemned. Quit listening to the accuser reminding you of everything that you've done wrong. God knew every mistake you would ever make. The moment you ask him for forgiveness, he forgave you. The good news is he didn't cancel your destiny. He didn't give away your assignment.

You need to dig your hills in and say, that's it. I'm not living condemned anymore. If God gave Moses another chance, he'll give me another chance. This is a new day. I'm putting on a new attitude. I know I've not been buried, I've been planted. Friends, you have comeback power in your DNA.

You've been created to overcome every obstacle, to rise above every challenge. I want you to have this confidence that no matter what comes against you, it cannot defeat you. As long as you're letting God arise, your enemies will be scattered. That same dirt that's trying to bury you

can be the dirt God's going to use to promote you. Learn to shake it off and step up. Remember in the tough times, that loss, that disappointment, that injustice is not the end. It's a new beginning. Put your shoulders back. Hold your head up high. Dare to declare, I'm coming back and I'm coming back better. If you do that, then you're going to come out like Job with twice what you had before.

Those difficulties are going to give way to new growth, new potential, new talent, new friendships, new opportunities, new vision, you're going to see God blossom your life in ways that you've never even dreamed of. Amen. Do you receive that 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 you've never dreamed up. Thank you for listening to the Joel O'S-Dien 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 to still ahead. We'll see you next time. Summer is here and our sleep is just as important as our weekend plans. So get the sleep you deserve with Lisa. For a limited time, save up to $700 off select mattresses plus two free pillows during our summer sale.

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