Joel Osteen Video Podcast

#552 Thank God in Advance The promises we stand on each day are like seeds. Most of the time, they don't come to fruition overnight. There is a period of waiting and watering. In this message, Joel teaches you how to move forward and stay in faith instead of worrying during times of waiting. With verses like Romans 4:20, you will be encouraged as you see how Abraham grew strong in faith by giving praise to God and be inspired to do the same. As you praise God in advance, your "seeds of faith" will stay watered and you will be strengthened and encouraged on the way to victory!

Our mind is like a computer. The way we program it will determine how it's going to function. Just like a virus can slow down a perfectly good, working computer, our wrong thinking can slow down our destiny. In fact, our lives follow our thoughts. If you're going to live in victory, you have to learn to hit the delete button and silence the negative thoughts. Romans 12:2 says to "Renew your mind with God's Word." Turn off the negative recording that's reminding you of everything you're not and start reprogramming your mind with God's Word and who He says you are.

Uncomfortable situations happen to us all. During these times, it's natural to want to pray them away. But in this message, Joel encourages us that our trials and tests are necessary to come up higher and become all that God has created us to be. With verses like James 1:12 (ISV), "When he has passed the test, he will receive the victor's crown of life," you will be reminded that as you grow and let God mold you, then the seeds of greatness on the inside will flourish. God will release new levels of blessing and breakthrough in your life!

God has placed a destiny frame around your life! In this message, Joel will remind you of the powerful hedge of protection and provision God has placed around your life and those you love. Filled with encouraging Bible passages, Joel will share applicable stories of David being protected from destruction and guided to victory and how Jonah was given a second chance even though he ran from God. You will be inspired to know your life is divinely orchestrated. There is no mistake too great to keep you from God's love and goodness. You will know that you are truly in the palm of God's hand and that victory is in your future.

Your thinking sets the limits for your life. In this message, Joel reminds us that God has unlimited supplies. The only thing that limits Him is our capacity to receive. He encourages us to make room for increase by having the right image of who we are in Christ on the inside. With verses like Matthew 9:29, "According to your faith will it be done to you" and Isaiah 60:1, "Arise, shine, for the glory of the Lord rises upon you," you will be reminded to rise up to new levels of faith, expecting God to move in amazing ways in your life. When you take the limits off of God, you will see explosive blessings and His favor like never before.

It's easy to focus on what we don't have—the talent, education, personality or connections. But in this message, Joel reminds us that Zechariah 4:6 says, "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty." You see, it's not just our talent, education, or what family we come from that causes us to excel and overcome obstacles much bigger than us. What causes us to go places we've never dreamed of is the Most High God breathing in our direction. When you give God what you do have, He will multiply it. Just like Jesus fed the crowd of five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish, when you give God what you have, He will do the same for you.

We all know how it feels to face unfair situations where someone has spoken falsely about us or we were mistreated. In this message, Joel reminds us that God is our greatest vindicator, and He wants to make all our wrongs right! He promises us in Isaiah 61:7 that He will pay us back for every injustice. All we need to do is keep our focus on Him and let Him go to work. He'll not just settle our case; He'll do more than we can ask, imagine or think!

Sometimes life gets busy, and it's easy to put off connecting with those we love or show appreciation to others because we "don't have the time." In this message, Joel reminds us that James 4:14 says our life is like a vapor. Life is short, and we don't know what tomorrow holds. That's why we need to make the most of each day. If you will learn to give the best of yourself consistently, you will live life with no regrets.

Hebrews 3:13 says, "Encourage one another daily." Everywhere we go, we should be carriers of God's love and light. One of the best ways to share His love is through encouraging others and lifting their spirits. Look for opportunities to make others feel good about themselves. Write a note; send a text or e-mail. Let others know you appreciate them. Our thoughts don't bless others until we express them. Love is not love until you give it away. That's why we should be free with our compliments. If you'll live outward—looking for those you can bless or make feel better— then those seeds you sow will always come back to you. As you help others rise higher, God will help you rise higher.

God has planted seeds of greatness on the inside of every one of us. We all have dreams and desires, things we want to accomplish, things we want to see changed. But so many times, life has a way of stealing our dreams. We go through disappointments, face adversity, or things don't turn out as we would like. Too often, we just end up settling for second best. But God doesn't want us to settle for second best. He wants us to press on and pursue the greatness that's on the inside. Don't let "good enough" be good enough! Be determined that you are going to become everything God has created you to be. Make room for the new thing God wants to do in your life!

Much of life is spent waiting. It's how we wait that makes all the difference. Psalm 5:3 says "Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly." Waiting with expectancy means instead of worrying if God is going to answer a prayer, you're thanking God for working behind the scenes, talking like His miracle is just around the corner, and acting like the answer is on it's way. That's active faith—praising God and having an unshakeable confidence that what He promised He will do!

The same God that opens doors will close doors. Maybe you prayed and didn't get the job you really wanted or a relationship didn't work out. It's easy to allow rejection to lead to discouragement and think that God is not working in your life. But God sees the bigger picture for your life. He knows where every road is leading and where the dead ends are. Proverbs 20:24 says, "A person's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their own way?" When you realize you are in the palm of God's hand and that nothing happens without His divine purpose, then you will begin to see and realize that the closed doors are just as important as the open doors.