Joel Osteen (0:00)

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Victoria Osteen (0:16)

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Joel Osteen (0:47)

The future hold for business? Ask nine experts and you'll get 10 answers. Rates will rise or fall. Inflation's up or down. Can someone please invent a crystal ball? Until then, over 41,000 businesses have future proofed their business with NetSuite. NetSuite by Oracle, the number one cloud bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR into one fluid platform. Download the CFO's guide to AI and machine learning at netsuite.com Hosteen that's netsuite.com Hosteen netsuite.com Osteen hi, this is Joel in Victoria. Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you enjoyed 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. God bless you. It's always a joy to come 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. I like to get started with something funny each week. And of course these little jokes are not doctrinally correct, they're just to make us laugh. But I heard about this cat and mouse. They died on the same day and went to heaven. After a couple of weeks, Peter asked the mouse how he liked it so far. He said, oh Peter, it's great, but it's so big. Do you think I could get some roller skates? Peter said, no problem. Got the mouse some roller skates. A couple of weeks later he saw the cat and asked him how he liked it. He said, oh Peter, I love it. And just when I thought it couldn't get any better, I discovered the meals on Wheels. Alright, 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. I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, ever living seed of the Word of God. I'll never be the same. Never, never, never. I'll never be the same. In Jesus name, God bless you. I want to talk to you today about the importance of staying in the right place. God created places before he created people. He created the oceans, then he created fish. He created land, then he created animals. Places are important to God. He didn't create a polar bear to live in the desert. He didn't create a bird to live in the sea. There is a certain place God created for each one of them to thrive. And in the same way, God has a specific location for each one of us to be blessed. He has a specific job for you to work at, a specific neighborhood for you to live in, specific friends for you to associate with. Your location is extremely important. God will not bless you anywhere. He will bless you where you're supposed to be. Now I can't just pack up and decide I'm going to move to another city thinking I've had some success here. Surely it'll work there. No, the blessing is connected to a certain place. This is where I feel good about. This is where I know I'm supposed to be when we move out of that place. It's not that God decided to quit blessing us. It's that we've moved away from the location where his blessings for us are. In the Book of acts, Jesus instructed 500 people to go to the upper room to wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit. But do you know only 120 showed up. 500 could have been blessed, but only 120 were in the right location. You can't just work at any job and hang out at any place. Move to any city and expect to have God's best. You have to be sensitive to what you're feeling right down in here. Throughout life, the Holy Spirit will lead you and guide you. I'm asking you today to pay more attention to your location. Ask yourself, is this where I'm supposed to be? Is this the job I feel good about? Is this where I should be spending my free time? Remember, your blessing is tied to a Specific place. I have a friend that owns a mechanic's shop. For years, his business was very mediocre. He was back on a little side street in an industrial area. He was surviving, but not really having any real success. And one day while he was out, he saw this big building off of a major freeway and had a sign that said fer lease. And something just jumped on the inside of him. He knew that was supposed to be his. He made some phone calls and found out it was available. After he prayed about it, he still felt peace. So he moved his business to that new location. It was less than a mile from his old place. But that next year, his business increased 10 times what it was the year before. What was the difference? His location. He had to get to his place of blessing. Do you know you could be less than a mile away from major growth? It may not be a business. It may be where you're hanging out after work that's keeping you from your real place of blessing. It may be the job you go to. If you don't really like it, you're not growing, you're not fulfilled. Don't go there for the next 20 years. Just enduring that. Make sure that's where you're supposed to be. I know people that have worked downtown in a high rise. They move from one floor to another. God opened up a new position, and now they're happy. They go to work with enthusiasm, using their gifts and talents. What happened? They got to their place of blessing. A lot of times we kind of think, well, Joel, I know God will bless me wherever I go. And in a sense, that's true. But God has a specific place where he's commanded you to be blessed. Now, I would hate to think that I live my life just a mile away from my real place of blessing. God opened up doors, but I was too afraid to go through them. Or I kept hanging around the wrong friends. No, pay attention to what you're feeling right down in here. Get to the right place. When you're in the center of God's perfect will, there's a peace. Things won't be a constant struggle. Sure, you'll have some seasons of difficulties and some tough times you'll have to push through. But overall, you should enjoy your life. You should feel a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment. When you go to bed at night, you should lie there in peace, knowing that I'm in God's perfect will. I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be. In the Old Testament, the children of Israel had to follow the Cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. Sometimes the cloud would stay at the same location for two or three months. They would set up camp and stay there the whole time. Other times, the cloud would move every day for a week. But when they got up in the morning, first thing they had to do was check the cloud. I'm sure there were times that they wanted to move. They didn't like the location. They were surrounded by enemies, but the cloud wasn't moving. Other times I can imagine they get up in the morning and see the cloud starting to move and they think, man, we just got camp set up. We like this place, we're comfortable, let's just stay here. No. They understood this principle, that their blessing was connected to being at the right place. They knew they wouldn't have the food, the supplies, the protection they needed unless they followed the cloud. They had to do their part and get to their place of blessing so they could enjoy God's favor. And some of you today, the only thing that's holding you back is you're in the wrong location. It may be the wrong job. God keeps opening up doors, but you're not taking that step of faith. It may be the wrong friends. You're spending your free time in the wrong locations that's keeping you from growing. Could even be the wrong neighborhood. It's a negative environment. You keep giving in to temptation. Well, it's time to make some changes. Life is too short to go through it location. You've got to learn to follow the cloud for your own life. I know a man, he and his wife started a television station in another state. And for years they ran the station, built it up into a successful ministry. This was a dream come true. They were so happy, so fulfilled. But they told how one day that desire to keep building there and that sense of fulfillment just lifted off of them. They didn't have the same enthusiasm. And when they searched their heart, they realized their time there was done. They could have been hard headed and thought, no, we started this and we're going to finish it. But they were sensitive enough to recognize that the cloud was moving. They put the television station up for sale. About a year later, they moved to a large city in another state. They didn't really know what they were going to do. But not long after that, it just so happened that a television station in that new city became available. They were at the right place at the right time. And with the funds they had from the sale of their other station, they purchased this new television station. Today, their Ministry has exploded. They have many stations. In fact, they have a network that goes around the world. What's my point? They've fallen the cloud. Their place of blessing moved. Had they not been sensitive, had they been stuck in a rut and thought, well, we're really not fulfilled here, but let's just play it safe. Let's not rock the boat, no, they would have missed out on God's best. God has a place of victory in store for every one of us. But it's up to us to get to that place. Location is a huge part of staying in God's perfect will. My father used to say, learn to stay in your sweet spot. That means you just feel good down in here. You know you're where you're supposed to be. In other words, don't take a new job just because somebody offers you more money. Pray about it. Search your heart. There's more to life than money. They may make you a better offer, but if the environment's not good, if you have to travel all the time, leave your family. If you're going to be around negative people that may not be God's best for you, you got to stay in your own place of blessing. And don't override what you're feeling down in here. If you have an unrest that may mean the cloud is not moving. I have a friend that just passed up a huge promotion. His company wanted him to move to another state. After he prayed about it, he didn't feel peace. He didn't want to leave the church. He didn't want to leave his friends and his associates. They just could not understand it. They couldn't believe he didn't jump at that opportunity. But he just did not have a release down in here. He asked me, joel, you think I'm making a mistake? I told him what I'm telling you. No matter how good the offer, if you don't have peace about it, it's not right for you. It was like a burden was lifted off of him. He seemed so relieved. What was happening? He was following the cloud. And staying in God's perfect will should be one of our highest priorities. On a regular basis, we need to ask ourselves, am I in my place of blessing? Is this where I know I'm supposed to be? And when I say place of blessing, of course I'm not talking about just material things. I'm talking about peace. I'm talking about fulfillment, knowing that you're exactly where God wants you to be. I know this couple. They live in Botswana. Africa. They have Several children. For years they lived in a little hut with no air conditioning, no running water. It was hot, it was dirty, no tv, no grocery stores. But every time I talked to them, they were as happy as can be. In fact, one time I asked them, how do you do it? Isn't it hard to raise your children here? They looked at me almost confused and said, joel, we are wondering the same thing about you. How do you stay there? What they were saying is, we're blessed, we're fulfilled. Why was that? They were in their place of blessing. You may be able to make more money somewhere else. Something may look more attractive to you. But when you're in God's perfect will, there is a peace and a fulfillment that money cannot buy. First kings, chapter 17 and verse 3. God said to Elijah, leave here, go east down to the brook, for I have commanded the ravens to feed you there. Notice there was a place where God commanded Elijah's needs to be supplied. Here's what's important. It was up to Elijah to get to that place. He had to be obedient. He could have said, God, I'm comfortable where I am. I don't want to go down there. Well, the problem with that thinking is the ravens would have still been taking his provision down to the brook. In other words, God would have been supplying his needs, but he would have not been where he was supposed to be. Now I wonder how many of us have our blessings, our provision being taken somewhere that we're not. We didn't follow the still small voice. Maybe we're still hanging around friends that we don't feel good about. Well, what's happening is our blessings and favor over here, but we're not where we're supposed to be. Or maybe God opened up an opportunity, a promotion for you. You knew down in here you should take it, but you just shrunk back in fear thinking, man, I can't do that. Oh, I don't know about you, but I'm going to do my best to get and stay in my place of blessing. I can't stand to think that God could be delivering favor, blessings, ideas, creativity over here. The only problem is I'm not where I'm supposed to be. Now let's learn to follow the cloud. Pay attention to what you're feeling right down in here. It may not mean moving or changing jobs. It may be something as simple as, you know you're supposed to be volunteering somewhere. God's been dealing with you again and again about taking care of some elderly neighbors or serving in the children's ministry, mentoring a young person, you know, down in here, you should be doing it, but you just keep putting it off, man. I'm busy, Joel. I've got so many commitments. I just can't do that. No, you got to follow the cloud. That could be your place of blessing. How do you know that's not where the ravens are taking your provision? How do you know when you get into God's perfect will, doing what he asks you to do, that that's not where he's going to bless you in ways you never thought possible? That could be where you get the break you've been waiting for. That could be where you meet the man or woman of your dreams. What I'm saying is God has a specific place where he's commanded you to be blessed. Don't just haphazardly kind of apply for this job. Oh, it looks pretty good. Or I'm going to hang out with these friends. They seem okay. Or I'm going to serve in this ministry for a couple of weeks. No, you got to be more focused than that. You're not going to be blessed everywhere. You're going to be blessed when you're at the right place for you. I got a letter from a couple last week. Real fine people. I've known them a long time. This man had worked at a certain company for many, many years. And he was way up there in management, making a good salary. But down in here, he really wanted to start his own business. He knew that was a dream that God put into his heart. But year after year, he just kept putting it off. He was afraid he might fail, afraid he didn't have what it takes. One day he heard me talking about getting out of your comfort zone and being willing to take a risk. That lit a new fire on the inside. He resigned from his company, and they took all of their retirement and used it to start this new consulting business. Little by little, it began to grow. They started seeing God's favor in a greater way. His old company, they tried to talk him out of it. They told him it would never work. But today they're his largest client. He went on to tell how last year he made three times what he made working at that other place. And they were so concerned about their retirement. But now they've already paid it back. They said, joel, we've never dreamed we would see God's favor in the way we've seen it. What happened? They got to their place of blessing. They got down to the brook where God commanded them to be blessed. And they explained how it was a lot of work, but it wasn't a constant burden. They didn't live with a headache day in and day out, wondering how it's all going to happen. No, God supernaturally just brought things into place. When you follow the leading down in here, you will never go wrong. And certainly you have to use wisdom. Don't just jump out and try to make things happen. But when you feel good about it down in here, when you know it's right, dare to take that step of faith. Don't come to the end of your life and have to wonder what would have happened if you had been willing to take that risk. Follow the cloud and get to the place of blessing for your own life. Well, Elijah got down to the brook. He was obedient. God blessed him and met all of his needs. But one day, the brook dried up, the water quit flowing, the ravens quit coming. And so God told him, elijah, I want you to go to the city of Zarephath, for I have commanded a widow to take care of you. Notice once again, God had a specific place where he commanded Elijah's needs to be met. The whole key was Elijah had to keep following the cloud, getting to that place of blessing. This tells me that sometimes a brook will dry up. Sometimes a season's going to be over and God's going to try to push you into a new area. You have to stay open and be willing to follow that leading down in here. It's interesting. When Elijah was down at the brook, he was hiding from an enemy. Somebody had been chasing him. Do you know where his enemy's hometown was? It was the city of Zarephath, exactly where God told him to go. Think about it. God could have sent Elijah anywhere, but he sent him right to his enemy's hometown. What's my point? Sometimes God leads us to do things that don't make sense. God, you want me to leave my position, use my retirement to start a new business? God, you want me to quit hanging around this person? They're the only friend I have. God, you want me to bless my neighbors and be good to them. They've been so rude to me. Sometimes we're not going to understand it, but that's what takes faith. You have to remind yourself this is God trying to get me to my place of blessing. God is trying to get me to where he's commanded my needs to be supplied. I think about my brother Paul. For 17 years, he was a surgeon in Little Rock. He had a very successful practice. In fact, he was the chief of surgery there. He and some of his partners were part owners of the new hospital. Life was good. Paul was fulfilling his destiny, helping a lot of people. But back in 1999, when my father went to be with the Lord, Paul was driving home from Daddy's memorial service, and he heard that still small voice telling him to come back home and help pastor the church in the natural. That didn't make a lot of sense here. Paul had gone to school some 12 years to become a surgeon. His colleagues told him he was just grieving. He was just having a midlife crisis. But Paul knew down in here he was supposed to come back home. He did exactly that. We wouldn't be where we are today if Paul had not taken that step of faith. And not only that, how much more blessed could Paul possibly be than by being able to work with me every day? But the truth is, if Paul had not come, I'm sure he would have still been happy. I'm sure he'd be okay. But I don't believe he would have the joy and the fulfillment that he does here. It's not because of us. It's because he's in his place of blessing. And again, sometime that brook will dry up. A season will be over. Don't fight it. Don't struggle. Just follow the cloud. And I believe every season will get better and better. Let me ask you today, are the Ravens taking your provision somewhere that you're not? You cannot work in the wrong job for 20 years and expect to really be blessed. You can't sit in a church week after week with people condemning you, telling you that you're a weak worm of the dust, filling you with doubt and unbelief. You cannot listen to that junk and expect to live a life of victory. Well, Joel, my grandparents went to this church and my great grandparents went here. This is just where I'm planted. Now, with all due respect, if you're planted in concrete, you're not going to grow. You need to find somewhere where people will inspire you to rise higher. Find a place where people will challenge you to become all God's created you to be. A place where people will speak life and victory into you. Remember, your blessing is tied to being at the right place for you. I wouldn't sit in a place where the leadership lacks integrity or where they are controlling, trying to make you feel guilty if you don't do exactly what they want you to do. I wouldn't go to a place where they're always beating me down, telling me I have no future and I'm all washed up. Talks about in Psalms 133, how when they poured the oil on Aaron's head, he was the priest, the leader. The oil flowed from his head, down his beard to the rest of his body. That symbolized how the anointing goes from the leader down to the people. And that tells me I'm going to receive the same type of anointing of the leadership I put myself under. If that leader is controlling, condemning, arrogant, no, humility, that's what's going to flow down. I don't know about you, but I don't need that junk in my life. Get under good leadership. There are thousands of great churches with great ministers that have hearts of gold. Get connected to the right place. And number two, stay faithful. Don't run from church to church every week. Be committed. That's where your place of blessing is. And I say this with all humility. God knows my heart. But God's favor is on our ministry. And I know as you come each week, as you watch each week, the same favor, the same anointing, the same blessing that's on our ministry is flowing right down to you. And as you continue, you're going to be more blessed, you're going to be more mature, you're going to have more favor, you're going to have a bigger vision. You're going to be a bigger blessing. Wherever you go, your faith is going to increase, not because of me, but because of the anointing and favor that God's put on our ministry. I was talking to a friend of mine the other day. He was telling how blessed he's been here and how he was sharing with his wife. How they have to put themselves in a position to receive, in their attitude, in their actions, in their faithfulness. That way, when the anointing flows from the head, there won't be any barriers to stop it. It will cling to you. Why? You put yourself in a position to receive. And every time you come through these doors, every time you watch, you should say, father, I want to thank you that the same anointing you put in that place is flowing down to me. The favor, the increase, the promotion, the joy, the peace, the victory. I receive that by faith. See, don't just come to church, have the attitude, I'm receiving favor today, receiving strength. My faith is growing. I'm coming up higher. When you do that, you're just soaking up the anointing that's flowing down. So important. The leadership you put yourself under and who you allow to speak into your life. You remember in the Old Testament, God promised Elisha that he would have a double portion of Elijah's anointing. But God said Elisha, it'll happen under one condition. Not how much you pray, not how many scriptures you can quote, not how you have to be in the right place. You have to stay close to Elijah. For years, Elisha was faithful. He followed Elijah everywhere he went. In fact, a couple times, Elijah tried to get rid of him, tried to lose him. But Elisha stayed right with him. He was determined. Elisha's job was to help take care of Elijah. He was an older man. He would take him food and water, assist him in menial things and in the natural. It looked kind of unimportant. Sure. Some of Elisha's friends said, elisha, what are you doing spending your time following this older man around? You've got dreams and desires. You need to go on with your life. But no, Elisha knew something they didn't know. He knew if he was at the right place, then at the right time, God was going to release double into his life. He knew as he stayed close to Elijah, little by little, that same anointing was flowing into him. And sometimes it may be difficult. And you think, man, Joel, I'm serving in the children's ministry. Nobody's telling me, thank you. I came to church. I didn't feel like anything was happening. No. Whether you realize it or not, the same anointing that God's put in this place is flowing down to you. And Elisha was faithful because he recognized his destiny was connected to being at the right place. He got exactly what God promised, a double portion. And when you are at the right place, connected to the right people, that's when God is going to release great things into your life. Now, I'm asking you today to follow the cloud for your own life. Be determined to get to that place of blessing for yourself. You may not have seen it in the past. Search your heart. Make sure you're obeying even in smaller areas. And sure, we all go through difficult seasons. Just stay faithful. Remember, your blessing is connected to being at the right place for you. And if you will make staying in God's perfect will a priority, I know this. God will lead you and guide you. He'll pour out his blessings and favor, and you'll live that life of victory that he has in store. Amen. 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 you places that you've never dreamed of. When was the last time you asked God to do something that seemed impossible? If you only pray small, ordinary prayers, you'll live a small, ordinary life. I have a new book called Pray Bold. I'll challenge you to stretch your faith and believe for the big things God puts in your heart. Victoria and I used to have season tickets to watch the Rockets play basketball here. We never dreamed it could be ours. But when they moved out, somehow we had the faith to pray a bold prayer. God made things happen that we could never make happen. It's the same for you. Who knows what God will do in your life if you'll dare to pray bold? Ask him for your dreams. Ask for your healing. Ask for your freedom. That's when God will show up and do more than you could ever imagine.