← Joel Osteen Podcast
Joel Osteen Podcast
Pick Up Your Mantel | Joel Osteen
00:31:08
Every smile. Every prayer. Every word of encouragement. The blessings we extend touch others in ways we may never fully know this side of Heaven.
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In the Building the Official Podcast.
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Join me, Michael Ciro Creighton as we go behind the scenes with some of.
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The amazing actors, writers and crew from Season five.
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The audience should never stop suspecting anything. How can you not be funny crawling around on a coffin? Yeah, that's true. Catch Only Murders in the Building Official Podcast now streaming wherever you get your podcasts and watch Only Murders in the Building streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney for bundle subscribers terms apply. Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you enjoyed today's message, why don't.
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You be a blessing and share it with a friend?
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We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. 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. 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 this Positive Farmer and Negative Farmer when it would rain. Positive Farmer Lord, thank you for the rain watering our crops. Negative Farmer yeah, but if it keeps it up it's going to rot the roots when the sun came out. Positive Farmer Lord, thank you for the sunshine giving our plants valuable nutrients. Negative Farmer yeah, if it keeps it up it's going to scorch the crops. One day they went bird hunting together in a boat and Positive Farmer just got a new bird dog and he was so proud of him. Shot A bird fell in the water, said the negative Farmer, watch this. The dog jumped out of the boat, ran on top of the water, picked up the bird, ran back on top of the water, put it in the boat, said, what did you think? Negative farmer said, yeah, I should have known it. That dog can't even swim. 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 Pick up your mantle. A mantle in the scripture was a coat or some type of covering. It was symbolic of the blessing of God. It represented his calling and authority to carry out his will. The mantle enabled the person to do things they couldn't do on their own. It was favor to accomplish dreams, faith to see miracles, and courage to outlast opposition. Having that mantle empowered the person to go further and take new ground. God never created us to get stuck at one level. He's a progressive God. He wants every generation to increase. He has these destiny moments where he'll give us an opportunity to pick up a new mantle so we can step into new levels. Often it happens when someone goes to be with the Lord. Their work here on earth is finished. But the purposes of God never stop. They finished their course, but they left the mantle. Of course, we're celebrating the homegoing of my mother. She lived 91amazing years. She carried different mantles. The mantle of faith, believing for miracles. A mantle of prayer, covering her family and loved ones. A mantle of generosity. My mother was always helping people, giving gift cards, paying their rent, being a blessing. A mantle of commitment. Pastoring faithfully since she was in her early 20s, always in church, taking care of people. And a mantle of standing in the gap for others. People that she didn't even know. Someone she saw in passing, praying for them year after year, calling them by name. I know she was my mother. Joel, that's your mantle. Doesn't have anything to do with me. But no, she was the mother of the church. You listen to our ministry. She's connected to you. Because everything I do was influenced by her. We are at one of these destiny moments where God is saying, who's going to pick up these mantles? It's not just for one. Any of us can. God is calling us to greater things. Who's going to cover Your family with prayer. Who's going to stand in the gap for that loved one that's off course. Others are criticizing, writing him off. Somebody's got to rise up and say, I'm going to pray him back home. I'm going to remind God every day, don't leave that mantle on the ground. Pick it up. Be the one to make a difference. Who's going to believe for miracles in a greater way? Who's going to take the limits off of God, not believe the lies that man? We're stuck here. All my family's depressed. We'll never get well. Joel, someone has to break out of the status quo and pray bold prayers to see those generational bondages come off. Who's going to pick up the mantle to live more committed, more consecrated? Not taking the easy way out, but staying on that high road to be an example to those around you? Or how about that mantle of generosity being a blessing, helping others in need, living to give, not to get. God is calling us up higher. He's saying there are greater things in store, but you have to pick up that mantle. Greater favor, greater influence, greater resources. But it's going to require greater commitment, new mindsets, being willing to get out of our comfort zone and stretch to new levels. This is what happened to Elisha in the scripture. He was a young man out in the fields plowing, had 12 oxen in front of him. He was working in the family business. Life was good. One day, while he was minding his own business, the prophet Elijah showed up. He was a powerful man. He'd call down fire from heaven and destroyed 450 false prophets. He prayed and a three and a half year drought came to an end. He's the one that outran a chariot and raised a little boy from the dead, saw all kinds of miracles. God do amazing things. When he saw Elisha out in the fields, he took off his coat and threw it at Elisha. Imagine it hit him and fell to the ground. Elisha thought, who is this man throwing things at me? He looked closer and realized it was the prophet Elijah. This wasn't just his coat. This was his mantle. This represented the favor, the authority, the blessing of God. This was a critical moment. God was calling Elisha to greater things. It was giving him an opportunity to step up to a new level. The problem was Elisha was comfortable, he was satisfied, and he had to make a decision. Was he going to leave the mantle there and think, man, I don't want more responsibility. I don't want to have to Stretch, I'm just going to play it safe, let someone else have that mantle. But you'll never reach your destiny if you play it safe all the time. You have to get out of the safe zone and over into the faith zone. There are levels God is calling you to that are going to feel uncomfortable, that are over your head, that require greater commitment, greater consecration. You can't hang around those same people and carry this new mantle, greater faith. You can't stay in the boat and walk on water. Bolder prayer. You can't pray. Weak. Get by prayers and see the fullness of what God has for you. All these thoughts were bombarding Elisha's mind, telling him not to pick it up. He could have walked away and went about his business. Instead, he reached down and picked up that mantle. This was a destiny moment. He was saying, God, I'm willing to step up to who you've called me to be, to accept the favor, the blessing, the calling that you're entrusting me with. He had a new mindset. A shift has taken place. A transfer of the anointing. I'm walking in greater power, greater authority, greater consecration. You can't pick up a new mantle and keep an old mindset. There needs to be this shift in your thinking. No more. I've reached my limits and I can't get well. We can't pray for people, Joel. I don't have that kind of authority, that kind of power. It's not just up to what you can do. The power of the Most High is behind you, what you couldn't do before. That mantle you picked up brings the authority, the power, the favor of Almighty God. Elisha stopped the oxen, cut up the plow and made a big fire. With the smoke billowing in the background, he left his comfort zone, walked away with Elijah to become his assistant. Sometimes when you pick up a mantle, you have to walk away from things you can't carry. That mantle of favor, that mantle of greater influence and compromise at the same time. You may have to walk away from some friends that are pulling you down, bringing out the worst in you. Or walk away from that phone, that computer that's distracting you, spending hours a day on things that aren't making you better. Or walk away from fear. Doubt those thoughts telling you you're not able, you're not good enough. You've made too many mistakes. The enemy will tell you all the reasons you can't pick up that mantle. You're not worthy. You're not qualified. You're too shy. Walk Away from those lies. Get out of your comfort zone. God wants to use you like he did my mother. For greater miracles, greater favor, greater prayer, greater generosity. Will you pick up that mantle? That's what I had to do. When my dad went to be with the Lord. I was content where I was, doing the television production, working behind the scenes at Lakewood. I thought I'd do that the rest of my life. But while I was minding my own business, Elijah showed up, so to speak. That mantle came to me and I thought, I can't pastor like my father. I'm not qualified. I've never been to seminary. God, you've got the wrong person. But God wouldn't have given you the opportunity if you weren't well able. I took a step of faith and I picked up that mantle. I thought, man, this is going to be hard. I'm way over my head. I'm going to do my best to carry this mantle. But what I discovered was the mantle carried me. There was a blessing, a favor, a courage I'd never seen before. I think about what I would have missed if I hadn't been willing to pick up that mantle. Where would I be today if I'd stayed in the safe zone and believed the lies? That I'm not good enough. I don't have what my father had. No one will ever listen to me. I would have never seen the compact center, never seen the books, the media, being able to help people. I would have missed who I was created to be. There are mantles God is asking you to pick up. Mantles of faith. Praying for what looks impossible. Mantles of favor. Believing for bigger things. Mantles of courage to press past the fear. Mantles of prayer to stand in the gap for your family, to push back the darkness. The last 10 years of my mother's life, she didn't come up to the office anymore. She used to come two or three times a week and write notes and encourage the staff. One year, we calculated, she had written 15,000 handwritten notes. She loved to thank people for their support, tell them she was praying for their healing. She said to me recently, joel, I feel kind of bad that I don't go up to the office anymore. But I really feel like I'm just supposed to stay home and pray. Many times she would stay in bed till noon, just praying for people. She'd wake up early. She wasn't lazy, but she'd just lie there and call every family member by name. Not just her children, but their spouses, extended family, her grandchildren. She had over 100 people that she would pray for every day. She was an incredible force for good, for our family and for our church family. She may not have called you by name, but she prayed fervently for everyone. That's a part of our ministry. I told Victoria when she passed, I'm not just going to miss her friendship, miss her being my mom, but I'm going to miss her prayers. There's a void, a vacuum. She always had us covered from the time we were little children. We never left the house without her praying for us. Mother passed, but that mantle stayed here. God is asking us to pick it up. Be that prayer warrior for your family, for your friends, for your church. Stand in the gap. Declare the favor and purposes of God over their lives. You don't have to spend hours a day, but you can get up 10 minutes earlier and cover your family in prayer. One time, my mother saw the name of an entertainer on a marquee. Driving to church each week, she read about how he came from a family of missionaries to Mexico. He grew up singing in church, but now he was off course singing in clubs. She didn't know him, didn't have any connection. But my mother started praying not one time, but day after day. He got on her prayer list when you were on her list, watch out. Things are going to happen. Years went by and nothing changed. He's still out singing in the clubs, but he had a child that was sick and decided to go to church. He walked into Lakewood and Usher recognized him and told my mother. She went back and gave him a hug. Said, bill, I've been praying for you for years. He thought that day he'd be condemned and looked down on, but he felt unconditional love. The arms of our heavenly Father opened wide, ready to receive him. He not only gave his life back to Christ, but his son was healed from leukemia. A few months after that visit, our friend Bill Nash did his first Christian concert at Lakewood. That was the start of a new beginning. I wonder where Bill would be if my mother had not stood in the gap for him. There are people God brings across your path on purpose that need your prayer. They don't have anyone lifting them up. You can be the one that helps them break bondages and step into their destiny in the same way. My mother always prayed for Willie Nelson years and years. She loved Willie, weed and all. I think it's because he and my brother Paul kind of look alike. But she didn't see the same results with Willie that she did with Bill. But you never know what God is going to do. Just because the person dies mean their prayers don't go on. Some of us are blessed today because of our grandmother's prayer. Our great grandparents, people stood in the gap that maybe we didn't meet. They believed for their seed and for future generations. And today we're seeing favor, protection, because like my mother, they put up that wall of prayer. They took time to call our name, to speak life over their family. Well, Elisha picked up this mantle and followed Elijah, served him faithfully and took care of him. It came time for Elijah to go to heaven. It was his last day on earth. He came to the Jordan river and needed to cross. They had no boat, no bridge. So Elijah took off his cloak and smote the water. The river parted. That mantle carried power and authority, caused supernatural things to happen. He and Elisha walked through, came down to his final minutes. He said, elisha, you've served me all this time, and I'm about to leave. What would you like me to do for you? Elisha could have said, I just want to carry on what you've started. Let me just continue this work. He could have asked for something normal, something reasonable. But Elisha was bold. He knew that what he was going to face was going to require more favor, more power, more miracles. He said, elijah, my request is that I would have a double portion of your spirit. That I would have twice the faith, twice the power, twice the influence. Elijah could have said, what are you talking about? Elisha, you need to be more humble, be satisfied with what I did. But Elijah didn't fault him. He didn't try to push him down. He said, you've asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I'm taken away, you will have it in a few minutes. They were walking along. This whirlwind caught Elijah up and took him to heaven. Suddenly, he was gone. Elisha stood there in disbelief. He was so distraught that he tore his shirt into two pieces, wondering what in the world just happened. Elijah was gone, but his mantle fell to the ground. Elisha picked up that mantle. It's significant that he took off his old clothes. He was saying, I can't become who I'm supposed to be, wearing old labels. I'm not a prophet. I'm a farmer. I can't do what Elijah did. I don't have the talent, the favor, the influence. Before you put on this new mantle, take off all the old labels. I'm too short, too tall. I'm addicted. I'm unattractive. I'M not worthy. Jesus said, you can't put new wine into old wineskins. If you do, the wineskins will burst. You can't go to new levels with old thinking. Quit telling yourself everything you're not and get in agreement with God. You are a masterpiece made in his image. A mighty hero. A giant killer. Strong, competent, talented. Raised up for such a time as this. Elisha walked to the Jordan River. He was headed back home, but had no way to get back across. He remembered what Elijah did. How he threw his cloak in the water and it parted. Thoughts were telling him, don't even think about it. You're not Elijah. You don't have that kind of power. There will always be voices trying to talk you out of who you are, trying to convince you to take off that Mantle. There were 50 people standing on the banks of the Jordan. The same ones that saw Elijah part the water a few hours earlier. It's one thing to see if the mantle works in private. If it doesn't, nobody will know. But Elisha has all these people watching. Takes off his coat. He removes the mantle and strikes the water. This dramatic moment, soon as he did, the water opened up. The river parted. He walked through on dry ground. The same anointing that was on Elijah was now on Elisha. This didn't happen by accident. He was bold enough to pick up the mantle. That anointing, favor and power was transferred to him. Elijah left, but the mantle stayed. This is symbolic. When someone leaves, goes to heaven. That carried favor, blessing and influence. Those mantles don't leave. They're waiting for someone to pick them up. God is counting on us. He's doing a new thing. Many of us have been blessed. It's easy to get comfortable. I don't want to rock the boat, but God is calling us up higher. He has greater things, but it's going to take greater commitment, greater faith, greater prayer, greater generosity. When you pick up that mantle, you'll discover, like I did, the mantle is going to carry you. Elisha came to the Jordan. He didn't have to fret, worry. How's this going to happen? It wasn't up to him. It was up to God. The mantle represents the authority, the favor, the blessing of the Most High. But you have to pick it up. Believe for miracles. Cover your family in prayer. Leave the familiar and step into the unknown. Because what got you to where you are was good. But it's not going to be enough for where God is taking you. We are living in darker days. There are more obstacles, more division. More devils to fight. More people that are cynical and want to bring you down. More distractions to steal your time, deception to get you off course. You can't win today's battles off of yesterday's tactics. God is doing a new thing. The darker it gets in the world, the brighter you and I are going to shine. But you're going to need greater faith, greater miracles, greater prayer, greater consecration. That's why Elisha prayed for a double portion. He wasn't saying, I just want to outshine you, Elijah. I just want to look better for my ego. He knew there were greater enemies. Some of these mantles that you're about to pick up are double portion mantles. You haven't seen, heard or imagined what, what God is about to do. He's entrusting you to go further, to carry his blessing, his favor, in ways you've never imagined. You know why? Because he can trust you. You've been faithful like Elisha. You've given, served, done the right thing. Now your time is coming and it's good to look back and remember what God has done. Thank him for the victories. I talk all the time about how God gave us the Compact center, how he healed my mom from cancer. That's good. But God doesn't want you to live off of past victories. He's about to give you some new things to talk about that will supersede the old double portion power, Double portion favor, double portion creativity, double portion of resources. When my father went to be with the Lord, we were in that 8,000 seat sanctuary that Daddy and the congregation built. And man, it's a big place. By the grace of God, I picked up that mantle and followed in my father's footsteps. And I was content to just try to keep the church going. It would have been a win if we just didn't go down. But God is a progressive God. He wants every generation to increase. He knows the later it gets, the more power, the more favor, the more blessing it's going to take. When we acquired the Compact center, this place, it seats 16,000 people. It's not a coincidence that it's exactly double. There are some double portion anointings waiting to be picked up. The new things God is going to do is going to be out of the ordinary, uncommon. Something you've never seen. See, in the Old Testament, only certain people were anointed. That mantle had to come to you. Elijah went to Elisha through the mantle. Samuel went to David and anointed him. It was limited for a group of people, those that God Selected. But in the New Testament, since Jesus has come, the Holy Spirit lives on the inside of each one of us. We can all pick up these mantles. The last message Jesus gave, he was with his disciples. We call it the Last Supper. He told them how his assignment was coming to an end and how he had finished his course. He said, I'm about to leave and go to my father. But I'm not leaving you alone. I will send the Holy Spirit to live in you. He was saying, I'm going, but I'm leaving. The mantle, the power and favor to accomplish my will. He went on to say, greater works than these shall you do well. Jesus did amazing things. Healed the sick, multiplied food, calmed the sea, raised Lazarus. But he said, in effect, for your day, you're going to get a double portion. To stand against the darkness when opposition is stronger. Don't worry, he's got you covered. There are double portion anointings coming. God is calling you to greater things to go beyond what you've seen in the past. Past. Who's going to pick up that mantle of prayer for your family? Maybe you had a mother, a grandmother praying for you. Their prayer and dedication has carried you to where you are. But there comes a time where what they've done won't be enough. Someone else has to step up. Be that one. Cover your family. Speak the blessing over them. Who's going to pick up that mantle of faith? To believe, for miracles, to pray, bold prayers, to take the limits off of God? Who's going to pick up the mantle of consecration? To live a holy life, to not give in, to compromise. Take the easy way out. You can't reach your destiny that way. Just like the anointing of Elijah was transferred to Elisha because he picked up the mantle. We're in a time of transition. The homegoing of my mom. She was 22 years old when she first started pastoring with my father. She had no ministry experience. She was a registered nurse. Look what God has done. She never dreamed at 91 we'd be celebrating all she accomplished. Who knows where you will be if you'll pick up some mantles, say God, I'm willing to take on more responsibility so you can entrust me to carry your love, your favor and your blessing to make a greater difference. You may feel like I did that. It's over your head. You're not qualified. But you'll discover you don't have to carry the mantle. The mantle will carry you if you'll do this. I believe and declare like Elisha. You're going to see the double portion, double favor, double influence, double miracles, double honor. 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 believed you got born again and but I hope you'll get into a good Bible based church and keep God first place.
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God's healing isn't earned, it's received and you can discover how in the next 31 days.
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Life has a way of wearing us down physically, mentally, emotionally. But God didn't create us to just survive, but to thrive. I'm excited about our new devotional Happy, Healthy and free. For 31 days I'll take you on a wellness journey for your spirit, body and soul. It's filled with daily declarations, scriptures, encouragement. As you get your mind in tune with what God says, you'll experience a refreshing, a revitalization. You were created to be strong, to be passionate, to live happy, healthy and free.
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When you contact us today, we'll send you happy, healthy and free a 31 day wellness journey as our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount of this devotional will help you strengthen your faith, declare God's promises and receive the healing he's already made available to you spirit, soul and body. God wants you whole and this resource will help you experience his peace from the inside out. Please request your copy today. Begin a life receiving, life giving journey that will transform your spirit, mind and body. In just 31 days.
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God is going to restore what the enemy tried to steal. Your joy, your peace, your health. Victoria and I pray for you and your family every day. Thanks so much for your prayer and support. Your generosity is bringing hope to people around the world. Special thank you to our Champion of Hope partners for your monthly gifts. 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 watch on YouTube, the new Joel Osteen Network social media. You can listen on SiriusXM 24 hours a day. We'll keep you encouraged and inspired until we see you next time. May the Lord bless you and keep you.
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Be sure to request your copy of Happy, healthy and a 31 day wellness journey. Visit jolosteen.com or call 888-567-jOEL for an additional gift this month we are also offering the Wholeness and Promise Bundle which includes the Happy, Healthy and Free Book plus the Words of Promise Journal, a beautifully designed journal where you can reflect, record prayers and speak life over your future. You can also request the Happy, Healthy and Free collection featuring the Devotional, the Journal and a beautifully crafted set of three desktop encouragement blocks. Each whitewashed wooden block displays one powerful word, happy, Healthy and Free along with a carefully chosen scripture. Place them in your home or workspace as daily reminders of God's promises for your life. You can request these life changing resources by calling 888-567-JOEL or logging on to jolostein.com today. Call or click anytime 24 hours a day. This is your season to rise stronger, live lighter and walk daily in God's healing and peace. Request your copies today.
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If you're a pastor, we'd like to invite you to our Pastors Gathering. We'd be honored to spend the day with you here at Lakewood. We'll share some of the things we've learned, insights and behind the scenes be a time of inspiration and encouragement. We'd love to meet you.
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