← Joel Osteen Podcast
Joel Osteen Podcast
Grow Through It | Joel Osteen
00:31:00
God uses difficulties to prepare us for the next level of our destiny.
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LinkedIn Representative
Race the rudders.
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Joel Osteen
Race the sails. Race the sails. Captain, an unidentified ship is approaching. Over. Roger, wait. Is that an enterprise sales solution?
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Joel Osteen
Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry.
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Victoria Osteen
If you enjoyed today's message, why don't you be a blessing and share it with a friend?
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Joel Osteen
We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. Well, God bless you. It's great to be with you today and I hope you'll stay connected with us during the week through our Daily podcast, our YouTube channel, social media and you can come visit us in person.
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You can.
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Finest people in all of Houston, Texas, right here at Lakewood, and we'd love to have you be a part of one of our services. I'd like to start with something funny. And I heard about these three pastors that were in a boat together fishing. One of them said, we never get to let our hair down. Let's each tell the area that we struggle in the most our greatest sin so we can pray for each other. First pastor said, I hate to admit it, but I have a problem with gambling. Sometimes I sneak out at night and gamble. Second pastor said I'm ashamed to admit this, but I have a problem with cheating. I hardly ever pay my taxes. Third pastor sat there silently. They waited and waited. He wouldn't budge. They said, we are not leaving until you tell us your greatest sin. He said, all right. My greatest sin is gossiping and I can't wait to get off this boat. 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 Grow through it. We all go through things that are uncomfortable and things that we don't. Like a co worker is getting on our nerves or child is difficult to raise. A dream is taking longer than we thought. It's easy to live frustrated, wondering why it's not changing. But I've learned you can't pray away everything that's uncomfortable. God uses difficulties, delays and inconveniences to do a work in us. And if the situation is not changing, maybe God is using the situation to change you. He wouldn't have allowed it if he didn't have a purpose for it. Don't just go through it. Upset, bitter, offended. Grow through it. That's an opportunity to get stronger, to develop your character, to build your spiritual muscles. Because we don't grow so much in the good times, we grow in the difficult times. The scripture says our faith is tested in the fire of affliction. That person that did you wrong, that's not random. It's not just a bad break. That's a test God is seeing. Are you going to get bitter, hold a grudge, try to pay them back? Or are you going to take the high road and forgive? Or you didn't get the promotion you deserved, wasn't fair? Are you going to get upset, badmouth the company, slack off? Or are you going to keep being your best, going the extra mile, knowing that God has something better coming? These times when we're uncomfortable and we're not getting our way, those are opportunities to prove to God that you're ready to go to the next level before you're promoted. There's a time of testing, a time of proving. If you keep letting the same people offend you, the same traffic upset you, same challenges steal your joy, then you're going to get stuck. You're going through it. Try a better approach. Grow through it. God, I don't like this. It's uncomfortable. But I trust you. I know you wouldn't have allowed it if I didn't need it. So I'm going to pass this test. I'm not going to let this jerk, I mean, this co worker, get on my nerves anymore. I'm not going to get frustrated every time I don't get my way. Not going to be sour because things aren't changing on my timetable. God, I know you're working all things for my goodness. That's how you grow. That's how you come out stronger, more confident, more loving, more forgiving. When the Israelites were in the desert on the way to the promised land, the scripture says that God didn't take them the easiest way because they weren't prepared for war. There were enemies that were bigger and stronger that would have defeated them. They had to go through some things to get ready for what God had in store. The longer route wasn't because God just wanted to make their life miserable. Having to deal with delays, not knowing what they were going to eat, people coming against them, that was all strategic. That was growing them up, making them stronger. God knew they needed that to go into the promised land. The reason you face difficulties and things that may not seem fair is because God has an awesome future in store for you. Where God is taking you is going to take greater faith, greater strength, greater patience. Every challenge you face is a sign that God is getting you ready for something you've never seen. Don't get sour. Why is this happening? Have a new perspective. God is growing me up. He's getting me prepared for my promised land. But if God gave you right now, all that he has lined up, it wouldn't be a blessing, it would be a burden. He loves you too much to give you what you can't handle. There will be seasons where it's taken longer than you thought. You're still in the desert, dealing with that cranky neighbor, fighting that battle in your health, pressured, raising that child. You could be sour. When is this going to change? No, that's a time to prove to God who you are. You're not weak. You're a warrior. You don't fall apart when trouble comes. You are strong in the Lord. You don't complain that you can't take it anymore. You can do all things through Christ. You don't live offended by people that did you wrong. You let God be your Vindicator. That's how you don't just go through it, you grow through it. When you prove to God that you'll be faithful, when it's not fair, you'll be good to people that are not good to you. You'll Stay in peace when you should be upset because your spiritual muscles are growing, because you're getting stronger, developing your character. God can take you to new levels of your destiny. He can entrust you with more favor, more resources, more influence. And I know sometimes it's painful, but the pain has a purpose. When I lift weights, the last two or three reps are always painful. My mind says, stop, this is hurting. I'm uncomfortable. I don't like it, but I know that pressure. That pain is, number one, only temporary. And number two, it's causing me to get stronger. I was uncomfortable for a short time, but the results lasted a long time. Now I have this massive good looking physique, but in my mind I do. But you may be uncomfortable for a season. And yes, it's hard to bite your tongue when somebody's rude. It's hard to keep a good attitude when the contract didn't go through. It's hard to stay in faith when things aren't changing. But if you'll dig down deep and pass the test, you're going to come into favor that will last a long time. Here's what I've learned. The pain of discipline is less than the pain of regret. It is painful to do the right thing when it's hard. But it's less painful to look back and think, what could I have become if I wouldn't let this temper get the best of me? What could I have become if I learned how to overcome this compromise and deal with this impatience, this jealousy, this pride, not being easily offended, not let that hold me back. The mistake the Israelites made out there in the desert is they didn't grow through it. They didn't pass the test. They thought the delay was a bad break, when in fact it was God protecting them. He knew they weren't ready. They would have been defeated. He was doing them a favor. But they thought he had forgotten about them. They were negative and complained. Moses, why'd you bring us out in the desert to die? There's nothing good to eat out here. God gave them manna every morning for breakfast, but they got tired of it because they didn't pass the test. Because they never grew, never developed the faith, the trust, the character. They went around the Same Mountain for 40 years here. God had brought them out of slavery, sent plagues on their oppressors, parted the Red Sea, drowned Pharaoh's army. God didn't do all those amazing things to lead them in the desert. What was the problem? They didn't pass the test. They never got prepared for where God was taking them. They complained when it wasn't easy. They got discouraged because it was taking longer. They were frustrated because they weren't getting their way. When the truth is all those difficulties, all those inconveniences, that wasn't the enemy, that was God giving them opportunities to grow. How you handle difficulties will determine whether you make it into your promised land. God has the good breaks. He has the right people, the resources. But before that happens, you have to prove to him that you can handle it. The way you're tested is in the fire of affliction. It's in disappointments, delays. When you're not getting your way, recognize that's an opportunity to come up higher. It's easy to get negative, try to pay people back. It's easy to live in self pity, discouraged over a bad break. It's easy to get upset in traffic. It's easy to be rude to people that are rude to you. But what if you knew all that was a test, that it wasn't random, it was strategic, that God put you there to see how you would respond. Don't be like the Israelites and go the next 40 years letting the same things upset you, same people offend you, same traffic frustrates you, same compromise defeats you. That's going through it. I'm asking you to grow through it. Instead of waiting for it to change, why don't you change? Instead of trying to pray away the difficulty, why don't you pray God help me to do the right thing? In the midst of this difficulty, every challenge is an opportunity to prove to God that you can handle the favor, the influence, the destiny that he's laid out for you. It's not going to come without testing, without proving that you have the character of the integrity, the fortitude to handle it. We see this with Joseph in the scripture. As a teenager, God gave him a dream that he would be in leadership and he would see great favor and influence. He was excited. He knew big things were in his future. But Psalm 105 says, until the time came to fulfill Joseph's dream, God tested Joseph's character. It's significant that God gave him a dream. Then God said, I'm going to test you to see if you can handle it. I'm going to test your character. Will you be good to people that are not good to you? I'm going to test your endurance. Will you give up if it doesn't happen fast enough? I'm going to test your integrity. Will you do the right thing when no one Is watching. I'm going to test your attitude. Will you get sour when things don't go your way? We love when God gives us a dream. We know something big is in our future. But we have to realize along with the dream come tests. How we respond will determine whether we keep going around the mountain. Or whether we go into our promised land. Joseph's brothers heard about this dream and they didn't like it. They were already jealous of Joseph. He was their father's favorite child. One day, these brothers were in another city taking care of their animals out in the pastures. Joseph's father asked him to travel there to check on them. When the brothers saw him coming, they thought, this is our chance to get rid of Joseph. They threw him into a pit and they were going to leave him there. When they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming. Instead, they sold Joseph as a slave. His whole world was turned upside down. He went from his father's favorite child to a slave in a foreign country. Didn't speak the language. His freedom was gone. You would think he would be bitter. God, where are you? Why did you let my family betray me? But you never read where Joseph complained. Kept being his best. Doing the right thing when the wrong thing happened. So much so that the owner of that house put Joseph in charge of all of his household. Joseph wasn't just going through it. He was growing through it. His attitude was, this is where God has me, so I'm going to shine. It's not fair. I don't understand it. But God, I trust you. I believe that you're ordering my steps. The owner's wife lied about Joseph. He is falsely accused and put in prison. Surely now he would be upset. God, I've had enough. But Joseph kept doing the right thing. He excelled in prison. The warden ended up putting him in charge. Notice how he's passing the test. Proving to God that he could be trusted. That he had the character, the integrity, the humility. He interpreted a dream for a fellow prisoner. Could have been sour. I'm not going to do you a favor, man. I got more problems than you. But he was unselfish. Not long after that, he interpreted the Pharaoh's dream. The Pharaoh was so impressed, he made Joseph the prime minister of Egypt. Overnight, he went from a slave to one of the most powerful people of that day. But notice how the dream came to pass. God tested Joseph's character all along the way. The challenges we face aren't random. That's God giving you an opportunity to develop your muscles, to get stronger. To prove to him that you can handle the promotion. It may not be as dramatic as Joseph being put in prison for something you didn't do. It may just be how you handle the traffic each morning, how you treat the person at work that's not good to you, how you respond when you're doing the right thing but the wrong thing is happening. Don't get bitter. Don't try to pay people back. Be a Joseph. Show God what you're made of. That's an opportunity to grow. When you do the right thing, your spiritual muscles are getting stronger. Your trust, your patience, your endurance, your faith is increasing. When God sees that you can handle the dream, when you've proven to him that you have the character, the integrity, he'll open doors you could never open. He'll defeat giants that were much bigger. You'll find yourself further than you've ever imagined. Maybe, like Joseph, you're in that time of testing now, wondering why these unfair things have happened, why the doors have closed, why it's taken so long. God has not forgotten about you. He sees you doing the right thing when it's hard. He sees you praising when you could be complaining. He sees you at work being your best and not getting the credit. He sees the lonely nights, those tears from what's breaking your hearts. But you're still serving, still giving, still being good to people. You are proving to God that you can handle the blessing. I know thoughts are whispered. It's never going to work out. No. Your time is coming. The scripture says when you have passed the test, you will receive the victor's crown of life. Victory is coming. Favor is coming. You've been struggling a long time. Ease is coming. God is about to shift some things. Like with Joseph. He's going to take you from the background to the foreground. It's going to happen suddenly. A shift from borrowing to lending. From being stuck to being promoted, from mourning to dancing, from sorrow to joy. That victor's crown is on the way now. Keep being faithful. Keep doing the right thing. When you're uncomfortable. You don't understand it. It's not fair. Don't just go through it, grow through it. It's doing something on the inside of you. It's getting you prepared for something that you've never seen. A couple of years after my father passed, the church was growing and we needed a larger auditorium, compact center. This place became available after a year and a half battle. By the grace of God, 10 city council members voted for us and we got the facility and we were so excited. I grew up watching the Rockets play basketball here, and this was more than I ever dreamed. But the day after that big victory, a large company that owns all the property around this building filed a federal lawsuit to try to keep us from moving in. They said we violated the deed restrictions, that this was a sports facility and not a church. Our attorneys told us there was no guarantee that we would win, that it could be tied up in the court system for 10 years. I thought, God, you just gave us this great victory. We just spent the day celebrating. Now it was like the wind was taken out of our cell. I prayed, I believed, I declared. But nothing changed. Months went by. The other side didn't want to talk. It was to their advantage to just sit it out. The longer it took, the worse it was for us. I had to do what I'm asking you to do. I didn't like it. I was uncomfortable thoughts told me it was never going to work out. You're going to look like a fool. You told those people, you got the building, you celebrate, and you're going to have to give it back. I said, no, thanks, God. I know you're still on the throne. I know what you started, you will finish. I know you being for us is more than the world being against us. There were many nights I woke up in a cold sweat, tempted to worry. Doubt had to make that decision to tune it out. Two years later, with hardly any contact, the other side called and said they wanted to meet. 24 hours after that, they had not only dropped the lawsuit, but they leased us 9,000 covered parking spaces. We didn't have to build a $50 million garage. What am I saying? Before your dream comes to pass, God will test your character. He'll put you in situations that are uncomfortable, that you don't understand. God could have turned this around in two weeks instead of two years. It's no harder for God. He's God, but he was doing a work in me. He was getting me prepared to handle the blessings that were coming. It's not always about right now. God is looking down the road you at what you're going to need to handle. The weight of blessing, the weight of favor. In those two years, I learned to pray like I'd never prayed. I learned to trust that God was in control. I learned to lean not to my own understanding. Some things you can only learn in the battle, in the difficulty when you don't see a way. But God wouldn't have allowed it if it wasn't working for your good. If it's not changing. Maybe God is changing you. He's giving you an opportunity to grow, to develop greater character, to prove to him that you won't give up easily, that you'll do the right thing when it's hard, that you'll believe when every thought says to doubt. That you'll stand strong in faith even when you're facing a Goliath. Isaiah 40:1 says, God will harden you to difficulty. Some of the things I face today, if I would have faced 20 years ago, they would have defeated me. God knows what you can handle. As you keep passing these tests. What's happening is he's hardening you to difficulty. You're getting stronger. Your faith is growing. Your endurance is increasing. Your spiritual muscles are being built up. The reason God is doing this is because there are awesome things in your future. God is taking you to a wide and spacious place. He's going to enlarge your territories. Here's the key. With greater influence comes greater giants. With greater blessings come greater opposition. Greater favor comes greater persecution. If he didn't harden you to difficulty, you couldn't withstand what comes against you. Even now. If you look back in your life, some of the things that you face today, if you would have faced a few years ago, they would have caused you to live worried, upset. Now, it's no big deal. You know God's fighting your battles. You know no weapon formed against you will prosper. You know this too shall pass. Why is that? You're growing. You've gotten stronger. Your faith has increased. Your expectancy is greater, your trust at a new level. Things you've been through, I know they weren't fun, they weren't comfortable. But it wasn't God just making you suffer. They deposited something on the inside. Everything you've been through was necessary for where God is taking you. If you don't understand this, you live frustrated, fighting everything you don't like. Bitter over who did you wrong. God, why did these brothers throw me into a pit? God, why did that company file the lawsuit? God, why did I have this setback? That's just going through it. Discouraged, upset. That's what most people do. But I'm asking you to grow through it. See it as an opportunity to show God what you're made of, to prove to him that you'll do the right thing when it's hard, that you'll keep a good attitude when you feel like being upset. That's developing your character. That's proving to God that you're ready for the fullness of your Destiny. And when things are taking longer than we thought, could it be we're delaying what God wants to do? We're waiting for him to change the situation. But God is waiting for us to change. We're waiting for him to remove what's uncomfortable. But if we'll do the right thing when it's uncomfortable, then God will change things. Think about David. He was anointed to be the next king of Israel. Prophet Samuel showed up at his house, chose him over his brothers. A remarkable moment. But David didn't go to the palace. He went back to the shepherd's fields. You can be anointed before you're appointed, like Joseph. You can have the dream, but there will be a time of testing, a time of proving to get you prepared for what God promised. This is where we can get discouraged. God, you anointed me. Why did you send me back to take care of these sheep? David could have complained, could have slacked off. But out in the shepherd's fields with no one watching, he kept being his best. He's a king with a big dream. What's he doing? Shoveling sheep dung? Protecting the animals, closely, watching over them. He had his slingshot ready. If a wild animal came, David was there. He nailed it, never dreaming that one day he would use that same skill to slay a giant. David had to prove that he would take care of those sheep before God would allow him to take care of his people. Don't despise the small beginnings. Don't slack off because you're not getting recognition. Nobody's celebrating you. You're in preparation. Keep passing those tests, being your best, serving when no one is looking, doing the right thing when you're not getting the credit. God is watching. He sees your faithfulness. He sees how trustworthy you are, how you have that spirit of excellence. King Saul suffered from depression. They sent for David to come to the palace to play the harp for Saul. As David was playing being good to Saul, Saul threw a spear at David and tried to kill him. This happened several times. David had to flee for his life. He had done no wrong. He didn't deserve this. But now he was living in caves, hiding in the wilderness. Saul kept chasing him. One night, Saul and his men were asleep and David snuck over to their camp. This was his big chance to get rid of Saul. He could finally put an end to this man that was making him miserable. Finally get out of this uncomfortable situation. But David wouldn't do it. He knew Saul was the king and he wasn't going to touch God's anointed. He was going to let God make the transition. When God can trust you to not get out of every uncomfortable situation, but to do the right thing, to take the high road, forgive your enemies, not live sour because you had the bad break, frustrated because a dream hasn't come to pass. You are proving to God that you can take your throne, so to speak, that you can handle the blessing, the favor that he has in store. It may be unfair. You don't understand it. Don't just go through it, grow through it. God sees what's happening. He sees who did you wrong. He sees what didn't work out. He sees the medical report. That's not how your story ends. That's one chapter in the book that he's written for your life. There are many great chapters up ahead. Don't fight everything you don't like before you ask God to change the situation. Say God, help me to change. Help me to grow. Help me to come up higher to trust you more. Those are opportunities to show God that you're ready for the amazing future he has in store. You haven't seen, heard or imagined where God is taking you. That's why you face challenges. He's getting you prepared for something greater if you'll keep the right attitude. Not just go through it, but grow through it. I believe and declare like Joseph. You're going to see God vindicate you and suddenly turn things around. Like David. You're going to defeat giants, accomplish dreams and reach the fullness of your destiny in Jesus name. And if you receive it, can you say Amen? 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. Love to send you some free information on your new walk with the Lord. You can text the number on the screen or go to the website, but I hope you'll get into a good Bible based church and keep God first place.
- [29:00]
It's easy to let the day get away from us before the day even starts. The first few minutes of your morning are more powerful than you might think. Life moves really fast sometimes and it can be easy to begin easy each day by zeroing in on your problems. But here's the truth.
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How you start the day can determine what kind of day it's going to be. And I'd love to send you my devotional three minute start your day the.
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Victoria Osteen
Blessed Way Three minutes doesn't seem like a lot of time, but when you put God first place and get your mind going in the right direction, it's setting the tone for a blessed, productive day.
- [29:35]
Joel Osteen
It's filled with inspiration and encouragement to help you begin each day with a fresh grateful that you're alive. It's amazing what happens when you take three minutes and speak blessings over your life and declare in God's favor. Three Minute Mornings is our gift to.
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You as our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount. This month we would like to send you a copy of Joel's new devotional 3 Minute Start yout Day in Faith. This powerful book will open the pathways to experience God's presence and peace in your life and there you will find renewed energy, assurance and wisdom to face your day. The Bible promises that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. So as you pause for only three minutes and take in his wonderful promises in this book, you'll be positioning yourself to receive all the amazing things that God has in store for you. Please request your copy today and watch anxiety turn to divine answers, weakness to strength, problems to renewed possibilities, frustrations to God's favor. Yes, only three minutes will transform your entire day.
- [30:47]
From the time I was a little boy, my parents taught me the value of starting the day off in faith. Three Minute Mornings will help you do just that. Victoria and I pray for you every day for God's very best. We want to thank you for your prayer and support. You're impacting people all over the world. A special thank you to our Champion of Hope partners for your monthly support. If you're not a partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one. Remember, you can watch the services online every Sunday morning, download our daily podcast, listen on Sirius XM, watch our YouTube channel, and the Joel Osteen network streaming on television 24 hours a day until we see you again. May the Lord bless you and keep you.
- [31:30]
Be sure to request your copy of 3 Minute Start Your Day in Faith. Visit jolosteen.com or call 888-567-jOEL for an additional donation. This month we are also offering the Faith and Freedom Bundle. You'll receive an additional devotional filled with daily wisdom to guide you in living with favor, focus and freedom. Also available, our morning Power and Peace collection includes Power, Provision and Peace. Beautifully bound in timeless elegance, this dynamic New Testament the Passion translation helps you walk in God's best. You can request these Inspiring resources by calling 888-567 Joel or logging on to jolostein.com today. Call or click anytime 24 hours a day. Be inspired every morning. Request your copies today.
- [32:30]
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