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Joel Osteen Podcast
Speaking Favor Into Your Future | Joel Osteen
00:31:04
The words you speak can expand or limit your potential.
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- [01:31]
Joel Osteen
Hi, this is Joel in Victoria. Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry.
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- [01:41]
Joel Osteen
We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. Well, God bless you. It is always a joy to come into your homes. We love you and we are believing for God's very best in your life. And I know this. God rewards people that seek after Him. I believe that's you or you wouldn't be watching or you wouldn't have come out today. So thank you for coming. If you're ever in our area, stop by and be a part of one of our services. We love you and just appreciate you tuning in. I like to get started each week with something kind of funny and I heard about these two little boys. They were brothers, ages 4 and 6. They were spending the night at their grandmother's. Before they went to bed, their grandmother told them to make sure that they said their prayers and so they went to their room, got down on their knees, and the youngest boy, he began to pray at the top of his lungs. God, I pray for a new bicycle. I pray for a new PlayStation. I pray for a new DVD. His brother punched him and said, why are you screaming? God is not deaf. The little boy said, I know that, but grandmother is all right. Hold up your Bible. Say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. I. 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 speaking faith filled words. Our words have creative power. If you want to know what you're going to be like five years from now, just listen to what you're saying about yourself. You are prophesying your future. Too many people go around saying, I'll never get well, I'll never get out of debt. It's flu season, I'll probably get it. This marriage is never going to last. And then they wonder why they don't get any good breaks and why they don't see situations turn around. It's because they're calling in defeat. They're calling in mediocrity. With our words, we can either bless our future or we can curse our future. When you get up in the morning, you may not feel up to par. You may have some problems. It looks like it's never going to change. But you need to send your words out in the direction you would like your life to go. Instead of complaining and saying, oh, this is going to be a lousy day. I can't stand this job. My spouse never compliments me. No, don't use your words to describe your situation. Use your words to change your situation. You may not feel up to par, but dare to make a declaration of faith and just say, you know what, this is going to be a great day. I have God's favor. He's directing my steps. Whatever I touch is going to prosper and succeed. You know what you just did? You blessed your future. You called in favor, called in increase, called in good breaks. Let me ask you, what have you been calling in? What are you speaking over your family, over your children, over your health, over your finances. It's not enough to just think it. It's not enough to just believe it. We give life to our faith when we speak it out. Well, you say, joel, my child is never going to do what's right. He won't listen to me. I don't think he's ever going to get back on course. No, that's just calling in more of the same. You need to change what you're saying. Start saying, father, I thank you that my child is blessed. He will make good decisions. He is free from every stronghold. He will fulfill his destiny. The fact is, he may be as rebellious as can be, but when you're with your friends, don't talk about how bad he is and how he's never going to change. Speak victory over his life. When they ask how he's doing, just say, you know what? He's blessed. He makes good decisions. He's kind and respectful. He just doesn't know it yet. Those words are like seeds. That is your faith being released. When God hears that, he says to the angels, do you hear what she's saying? She's speaking faith. Angels, I have an assignment for you. Go down there and begin to turn the situation around. That's what it says in Romans 4:17. We have to call the things that are not as if they already are. That means you may not feel well, but you should not go around saying, oh, my back's been hurting me for years. I'm getting so old. I don't think I'm ever going to get better. No, you just spoke defeat into your future. Turn it around. Have a report of victory. I may not feel up to par, but I know it's only temporary. God is restoring health unto me. I'm getting stronger, healthier, younger. My best days are still up ahead. You're going to get what you call in. I have a friend. We used to play basketball a lot together, and he was always kind of negative. He just saw the worst in every situation. And when I'd see him and ask, what's been going on? He. He'd say, oh, not much. I'm just getting old and fat and bald. I've probably heard him say that 500 times. Here he was in great shape. He was the star of the football team. Had this thick, curly hair. And I know he was kind of just kidding. And I like to kid a lot, but I don't kid about that. I want to keep my hair. I probably hadn't seen him in 15, 20 years. And I saw him one day, I nearly passed out. He had prophesied his future. He was old and fat and bald. I don't know about you, but I'm not going to speak defeat over my life. My declaration is, I'm getting younger. God is renewing my youth. Like the eagle, I am getting stronger. Health and healing is flowing through me. I'm getting better looking. I'm going to keep my hair. We need to pay attention to what we're saying. I know people that are always tired and run down. You know what they're constantly saying? I'm so tired, I don't have any energy. They have said it so much, it's become a reality. The more we talk about it, the more we're going to call it in. If you wake up in the morning and feel tired and feel lethargic, instead of complaining, you need to start declaring, I'm strong. I'm full of energy. God is renewing my strength. I can do what I need to do today. I know sometimes when we've been traveling a lot and been very busy, we'll come to church and Victoria will say, joel, I am so tired. Look at my eyes. Can you see how red they are? I always say, no, Victoria, you look great. You look just as beautiful as ever. She said, no, I don't. I know you. You just won't say it. She's right. I won't agree with that. I don't want to speak defeat. I want to speak victory. I often wonder what she would think if I ever said, oh, yeah, Victoria, you don't look good at all. You look so tired. And are you going to really wear that? I'd have to find me a ride home. The more we talk about being tired, the more tired we're going to become. The more we talk about being depressed, the more depressed we'll be. The more you talk about being overweight, shape you're going to get, switch over into victory. Don't talk about the way you are. Talk about the way you want to be. There's a young lady that works here on staff, and she told our women's group one day how every morning before she leaves the house, she looks in the mirror and says, girl, you are looking good today. I saw her a while back and asked if she was still doing it. She said, yeah. In fact, this morning, Joel, when I looked in that mirror, I said, girl, some days you look good, but today you're looking really good. But I wonder how many of us would be bold enough to look in the mirror and say something that complimentary toward ourselves. Most people go around saying, I don't look good today. I'm overweight, I'm unattractive. I can't do anything right. No, don't speak that defeat over your life. You are prophesying what you're going to become. Be bold like her and dare to say I look great today. I'm made in the image of Almighty God. I am strong, talented, I'm blessed. I am creative. I am going to have a productive day. When our little daughter Alexandra was about four years old, she overheard Victoria and I talking about this little boy that was having terrible headaches. It was causing him to miss a lot of school and just giving him a lot of difficulties. And little Alexandra spoke up and said, daddy, I don't have headaches and I never will have headaches. I thought, you are exactly right. You are prophesying the right thing. And if we ever got off track back then with our words, little Alexandra would straighten us out. One time I was working on the garage door. It had come off track and I was trying to get it to go up and it was stuck. And I was kind of frustrated. I didn't even know she was there. But I said under my breath, this thing is never going to work. I heard this little voice speak up, daddy, you're going to have what you say, man. It's terrible when your own children believe your messages. But the scripture says, let the redeemed of the Lord say so. If you're going to go to the next level, you need to say so. If you're going to overcome that addiction, you have to say so. If you're going to have a blessed year, if you're going to get out of debt, if you're going to accomplish your dreams, start saying so. Nothing happens until we speak it out. Notice it doesn't say, let the redeemed of the Lord think so. Let the redeemed believe so. Of course it's important to think right. It's important to believe right. But something supernatural happens when we speak it out. You don't have to say it to anybody else, just say it to yourself. Driving to work in the shower, the economy may be low, but I am blessed, I am prosperous. I will lend and not borrow. The hurricane may have hit. I had some setbacks, but I know it was a setup for a comeback. This is still going to be my best year so far. The favor of God is turning it around. Or I may be a little lonely right now, but I know this is just a season. God is bringing somebody great into my life. I will get married. I haven't met him yet, but he's on his way. And let me tell you, he's tall, dark, handsome, plus he's rich. I know you were thinking it. I might as well say it. Put your faith out there. You are prophesying your future. I hope you take this in the right way. But ever since I've been on television, I've said privately, people like me and when they turn me on, they can't turn me off. You don't know how many letters I get from people that say, joel, I don't watch television ministers, I am not a religious person. But when I was flipping through the channels and came across your program, once I turned you on, I couldn't turn you off. I think to myself, I know why I called you in. There is a correlation between what we say and what God does. You cannot be passive and say, all right, Joel, I'm not going to speak anything negative. I'll make sure I don't say the wrong kind of words. That's good, but that's not good enough. If you're going to see God's best, you have to stay on the offensive and speak victory over your life. If you're not putting your vision out there with your faith filled words, it's limiting what God can do. And every day before we leave the house, we should say, father, I want to thank you that I have your favor on my life today. Father, thank you that you are directing my steps, causing me to be at the right place at the right time. Thank you that your favor is bringing opportunity, bringing increase and promotion. Blessing me so I can be a blessing to somebody else. You have to declare favor. Says in Psalm 91, I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge, my fortress. The next verse says, and he will cover me, deliver me, protect me. Notice the connection. I will say, and he will do. This tells me, if we're not saying of the Lord, he's not going to do what we're asking him to do. If you will find the promises in the Scripture and say of the Lord. For instance, it says in 3 John 2 that God wishes above all things that you prosper and be in health. You can take that promise and say, God, you said you wanted me to be healthy. You said you wanted me to be prosperous. So I say of the Lord, you are my healer, you are my provider, you are my way maker, you are my vindicator, you are my victory. When you start saying of the Lord, he shall do. On the other hand, if we're not saying anything, we're not releasing our faith. You could read the passage in the reverse. I will not say of the Lord, and he Will not do. And some of you today, you are not speaking enough victory over your life. You wonder why you're not getting good breaks, why the situation is not turning around. Are you declaring favor every day? Do you get up every morning and say, I am blessed. I walk in divine health. The favor of God is opening up new doors. I will fulfill my destiny. Well, Joel, I would love to do that, but I've got this sickness, hadn't been feeling well. I just believe in telling it like it is. No, I'm not saying to deny the facts. I'm simply saying, get an agreement with God. God said, let the weak say I'm strong. He didn't say, let the weak talk about the weakness. We're not supposed to talk about the way we are. We're supposed to talk about the way we want to be. Get in agreement with God. If God says, I'm more than a conqueror, I may not feel like it. It may not look like it, but if God says it, I'm going to agree with him. I'm going to say it too. I am more than a conqueror. You may be struggling in your finances. God says you will lend and not borrow. He said you will run over with his favor. Your report needs to be, I am blessed. God is supplying all of my needs. I have more than enough. And the scripture says we will eat the fruit of our words. You may not be where you want to be today, but could it be because of the words we've spoken in the past? We've said things like, I'll never rise any higher. I've gone as far as I can go. And sure enough, we've been stuck at the same place year after year. Or maybe we've said, I'll never break this addiction. I've had it too long, it's too hard. And just like we said it, it still controls us today. We need to change what we're saying our attitude should be. This may be the way it's been in the past, but this is not the way it's staying. I'm coming up higher. I may feel weak, but my declaration is, I am strong. I may have had this addiction for years, but I'm declaring I am free. When you start saying of the Lord, you are healthy, you are whole, you are free, you are blessed, you are prosperous. When you say it, God's promised he will do it. Well, you say, Joel, I've been saying it for a long time, but I don't see anything happening. Doesn't look like anything's changing. But the scripture says, hold fast the profession of your faith, for he is faithful that promised. This is saying, if you will keep saying the right thing, if you will keep speaking victory, speaking favor, speaking health and wholeness, God is faithful. And those seeds that you're sowing, you will reap in due season. You will eat the fruit of your words. You remember when Jesus was walking through a town, he got hungry. He went over fig tree to get something to eat. But the tree was bare, didn't have any fruit on it. And Jesus spoke to the tree and said, you will not produce fruit anymore. Other people heard what he said. No doubt they thought, that's strange, that man's talking to a tree. They went over and examined it. It didn't look any different. Jesus said it would wither and die. They must have thought, he's lost his touch. This time it looks just the same as before. He said anything. But what they didn't realize was in the unseen realm, the moment Jesus cursed the tree, something happened in the root system. The life was cut off. It was just a matter of time before what happened on the inside showed up on the outside. Sure enough, they came back a little later and they saw Jesus was exactly right. The tree was totally dead. It's the same principle with us when we speak God's word. The moment his promises come out of your mouth in the unseen realm, something happens. You may not see it for a week or for a year, or even 10 years, but that doesn't mean it's not going to happen. But too often we cancel out our promises by speaking these negative words. We, we start off right, but over time, we don't see anything happening and we get discouraged. But we cannot speak defeat and expect to have victory. You can't talk sickness and expect to have health. You can't talk lack and poverty and expect to live an abundant life. That's why it says, hold fast the profession of your faith. You've got to be determined that you're going to put a watch over your mouth. And no matter how long it's taken, no matter how bad it looks, you are not going to give in and start speaking doubt and unbelief. Keep declaring favor over your finances. Keep speaking victory over that sickness, freedom over that addiction. Some of you, you need to shift into a new gear. You're not speaking enough faith over your life. You've got big dreams. You've got to declare favor in a big, big way. It's not enough to say once a week, oh God, I hope you'll Bless me. This week. No, every day, all day, underneath your breath, you should be saying, father, I want to thank you that your favor is surrounding me like a shield. Thank you. That your favor is opening up doors that no man can shut. Your favor is bringing supernatural opportunities, divine connections, causing me to be at the right place at the right time. It says in Zechariah, chapter 10, ask for rain in the time of rain. Rain in the scripture represents God's favor. This says, ask for rain even though it's raining. What does that mean, if it's raining? Doesn't seem like you'd need to ask for it. But God is saying, just because my favor is available, you're not going to receive it unless you ask. Right now, God is showering down blessings, healing, promotion, good ideas. It's raining favor. But here's the key. If you don't get your words going in the right direction and start calling favor in, you're not going to experience it. Nothing happens unless we speak. You've got to release your faith with your words. This is a great day to be alive. God is pouring out his favorite like no other time in history. Right now it is raining. Increase. It's raining good ideas. It's raining promotion. My encouragement to you is, don't let it pass you by. Instead of saying, oh, everybody gets blessed except me. I don't know why they get good breaks and I never do. No, start declaring it for yourself. I am blessed, I am prosperous. I am favored, I am healthy, I am free. You've got to ask for rain this time of rain. Sometimes we are our own worst enemies. I heard somebody say, the devil doesn't have to defeat us, we defeat ourselves. Don't let that be you. When you speak faith, you're in agreement with God. When you speak defeat, you're in agreement with the enemy. Understand? God talk brings God on the scene. Enemy talk brings the enemy on the scene. All through the day, there are two voices that compete for our attention. The voice of faith and the voice of defeat. You'll hear a voice saying, you'll never rise any higher. You don't have what it takes. You've reached your limits. If you listen carefully, you'll hear another voice saying, you are well able. You can do all things through Christ. Your best days are still up ahead. Now you get to choose which which voice comes to life. The way you do it is by what you speak out. The moment you verbalize that thought, you give it the right to come to pass. If you're going around saying nothing, Good ever happens to me. I'm not that talented, Joel. I'll probably never get out of this problem. No, you are choosing the wrong voice. You've got to get in agreement with God. That other voice may be louder, but you can override it. You can take away all of its power by simply choosing the voice of faith. For instance, maybe you're going to a job interview. One voice will tell you, you're not going to get it. You're not qualified. They're not going to like you. You're just wasting your time. If you'll listen, you'll hear another voice saying, you have the favor of God. You are talented. You are creative. You have what it takes. You are what they're looking for. If you get up in the morning and you tell your spouse, I don't really think I ought to go on this interview, they're not going to like me. I don't think I'm qualified. I don't think they're going to choose me. No. With your own words, you are sealing your fate. The scripture says, whose report are you going to believe? The report of victory or the report of defeat? There's a battle taking place in our minds, and all through the day we're going to be tempted to talk about how bad it is and talk about how we're not going to get out of debt. Talk about what the medical report says. You've got to dig your heels in and say, no, I am not giving life to that defeat. I am not speaking sickness. I'm not speaking lack, I'm not speaking fear. I'm choosing a different report. I believe the report of the Lord. And it says, I am blessed, I am favored, I am prosperous, I am healthy, I am whole. I'm a victor, never a victim. Well, you say, joel, I've got some major obstacles. I've got some big problems. I don't see how it could ever work out. Let me give you a key. Don't talk about your problems. Talk to your problems. You've got to speak to those mountains. Declare favor over those situations. Too often we talk to God about how big our problems are. We should be talking to our problems about how big our God is. In the scripture, there's a man by the name of Zerubbabel. He had a major challenge. He was in charge of rebuilding the temple. It looked impossible. Everything was coming against him. But he said in Zechariah 4, 7, who are you, O great mountain that stands against me? You shall become a plain, a mere molehill. And I Will finish the temple by shouting grace. Grace to it. Notice this is saying a mountain will be turned into a molehill. How? By speaking grace to it. Another word for grace is favor. In other words, he went around talking to his mountains, saying, I've got the favor of God. I can do all things through Christ. I will fulfill my destiny. I love the way it starts. Who are you, O great mountain? He was saying, you can't defeat me. Don't you know who I am? I have an advantage. I have the favor of God. When he looked at his mountain, he didn't get discouraged. He knew it wasn't permanent. He understood this principle. He could speak favor to his mountain. And God promised they would become mere molehills. In the same way, when you face challenges, don't start talking defeat. Don't start complaining. Dare to do like he did and start declaring favor. You may be struggling in your finances. Get that checkbook out and speak favor over it. You may have a child that's not doing right. Speak favor over him. Perhaps the situation at work is very difficult. Start speaking to that mountain if you will declare God's favor. He's promised your mountains will turn into molehills. It's interesting. We. When Moses was leading the people of Israel there through the wilderness, and they needed water, God told him to strike the rock. And when he struck this rock, water began to flow out of that. Sometime later, they needed water again. This time, God told him to speak to the rock. Do you know what Moses did? He went back to doing it the old way. And he struck the rock again and again. Eventually, water did come out, but it took a lot more effort than was needed. We do the same thing today. We try to solve our problems all in our own strength and make things work out. We're trying to fix a child and correct something at work. So stressed, so frustrated. But God is saying, you don't have to strike the rock anymore. My son came so you could live an abundant life. Just speak to the rock. Just declare favor over that situation. Get up every day and say, I am blessed. No weapon formed against me is ever going to prosper. What is meant for my harm, God's using to my advantage. This problem will not defeat me. Friends, we don't have to live life frustrated. God wants you to enter into an anointing of ease. If you'll get your words going in the right direction, you. You're going to see obstacles that have held you back for years begin to clear out of your path. You're going to see family Difficulties that look permanent begin to turn around. That situation at work where you've been constantly struggling. God's going to smooth it out. Giving you wisdom, favor, taking away the wrong people, bringing in the right people, making your crooked places straight. And some of you today you've been striking the rock. But it's time to speak to the rock. Talk about your problem. Talk to your problem every morning when you wake up. Declare God's favor. Learn to call things that are not as if they already are. Get in agreement with God. Say what he says about you. His words coming out of your mouth is one of the most powerful things you can ever do and remember. It's not enough to think it. It's not enough to believe it. You got to give life to your faith by speaking it out. If you'll get in a habit of declaring favor and speaking these faith filled words, you're going to see negative situations turn around. Your mountains are going to turn into molehills. God's going to fight your battles for you. You're going to overcome obstacles, defeat every enemy and every dream, every promise God put in your heart, I believe and declare it will come to pass. Amen. Do you receive that today?
- [29:14]
Victoria Osteen
It's easy to feel stuck in life, wondering why things aren't changing and worrying if it'll ever happen. But there's a better way to wait. I'd love to send you my new resource called Pray It Forward. This book is a collection of prayers and promises from the scripture to help you pray boldly to strengthen your faith while you're waiting. It's important to keep your mind filled with hope and expectancy when you pray in faith. Believing what God promised, that's what moves the hands of God. And that's when you'll see doors open. Healing begins to come. Breakthroughs in your family. Don't let doubt hold you back.
- [29:49]
Joel Osteen Ministry Announcer
Pray it Forward as our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount, we'd love to send you a copy of Pray It Guided Prayers for Faith and Breakthrough Inspired by real life answered prayers. Pray It Forward will help you speak God's promises over your life and over the people you love. Trusting that when you ask in faith, God is already at work preparing victory ahead of you. You can take these prayers and scriptures and pray them forward. They'll build a momentum of faith that carries you past obstacles and into the promises God has spoken over your life. As you meditate on these truths, you won't be tossed back and forth by finances, health challenges or relationship struggles. Instead you. You'll be able to boldly pray with faith that is immovable and strong, and you'll be filled with peace, assurance and joy. Don't let circumstances control your future. Pray the truth of God's word forward in faith and watch the mountains in your life begin to move.
- [30:54]
Victoria Osteen
When you pray, the promises what God has spoken over your life. Those are powerful prayers and that's when God shows up and does what only he can do. Thanks so much for being with us. Victoria and I pray for you and your family every day and we appreciate your prayer and support. Your generosity helps us take this message of hope to people around the world. A special thank you to our Champion of Hope partners for all you do to make the ministry possible.
- [31:21]
Joel Osteen
If you're not a partner, I hope
- [31:23]
Victoria Osteen
you'll consider becoming one. But until we meet again, may the Lord bless you and keep you.
- [31:28]
Joel Osteen Ministry Announcer
Be sure to request your copy of Prayer Pray It Guided Prayers for Faith and Breakthrough, available this month by simply visiting us@jolostein.com or call 888-567-JOEL. You can also receive the Pray It Forward Companion Prayer Journal designed to help you engage in scripture, personalize faith filled prayers, and put God's promises into action. With an additional gift, you can receive the Pray It Forward Prayers Essential collection that centers around a prayer bowl with Scripture cards Designed to help you physically release what's been weighing on your heart, this collection creates a powerful prayer rhythm for your life, helping you focus your thoughts, speak God's Word boldly, and stay anchored in hope when circumstances try to shake you. You can request these inspiring resources by calling 888-567 Joel or logging on to Joel Osteen.com today. Call or click anytime 24 hours a day.
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Joel Osteen
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