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Joel Osteen Podcast
The Power of Favor | Joel Osteen
00:30:13
God’s favor can take you further than you can ask or imagine.
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- [00:00]
Joel Osteen
We're shipping Mother's Day gifts with a rapid fire round of questions.
- [00:03]
Victoria Osteen
Ready?
- [00:04]
UPS Store Representative
Yes. My gift. Can you pack it?
- [00:06]
Joel Osteen
Yep.
- [00:06]
UPS Store Representative
Ship it?
- [00:07]
Joel Osteen
Yes.
- [00:07]
UPS Store Representative
Guarantee it?
- [00:08]
Joel Osteen
Of course.
- [00:09]
UPS Store Representative
Oh, send gift baskets for sure. Protect electronics. Dog proof it. Return it if they hate it.
- [00:14]
Joel Osteen
Yes, no, and yeah.
- [00:17]
UPS Store Representative
Are you the UPS store?
- [00:19]
Joel Osteen
Hey, we have a winner.
- [00:20]
UPS Store Representative
Visit theupsstore.com guaranty for full details. Most locations are independently owned. Products, services, prices and hours of operation may vary. See center for details. The UPS Store. Visit US store today.
- [00:32]
State Farm Representative
If your small business has a problem.
- [00:35]
Podcast Host
You could say, ugh, just my luck.
- [00:37]
State Farm Representative
But you should say, like a good.
- [00:39]
LinkedIn Sales Navigator Representative
Neighbor, State Farm is there and we'll.
- [00:42]
State Farm Representative
Help get you back in business. Like a good neighbor, State Farm, is there.
- [00:48]
Joel Osteen
Is anyone out there?
- [00:50]
LinkedIn Sales Navigator Representative
Hmm. Another salesperson enduring the endless search. Exhausting. If you want to get right to the right conversations, you need LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Whether you're looking for new leads or strengthening existing relationships at your top accounts, get right to the right conversations with LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Try LinkedIn Sales Navigator now with a free 60 day trial@LinkedIn.com trial. That's LinkedIn.com trial.
- [01:15]
Joel Osteen
Terms and conditions apply. 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 good best in your life. Well, God bless you and thanks for letting us come into your 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'd like to start with something funny. And I heard about this elderly minister. He was close to death. He sent word for two of his members, an IRS agent and a lawyer, to come to his house. Upon arrival, he motioned for them to sit on each side of the bed. The men were very moved that they could be with their pastor in his final moments. One point the lawyer asked, sir, why did you choose both of us? The minister mustered up some strength and said, jesus died between two sinners. That's the way I want to go. All right, it's just a joke. Here we go. 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 the power of favor. What God has in your future can't be accomplished on your own. The places he's going to take you, you can't get there by yourself. There will be obstacles, too. Big dreams that seem impossible. You're going to need assistance for where you're going. The good news is God has put something on you that gives you an advantage. Something that will open doors you can't open. Something that will make you stand out in the crowd. It's called favor. Favor will cause good breaks to come to you. Favor will take you from the background to the foreground. Favor will give you preferential treatment. Things you don't deserve. You weren't next in line, but you got the promotion. On paper, it didn't make sense, but the loan went through. That person that was so against you, for some reason they changed. Now they're for you. That wasn't a coincidence. That was the favor of God. And we can work hard, be faithful, be diligent. That's important. But that will only take us to a certain level. We'll go as far as our education, as far as our background allows. But when God breathes his favor on you, things will happen that you couldn't make happen. Opportunity that you didn't see coming. The right people will track you down. I've heard it said, one touch of favor is worth more than a lifetime of labor. Just one good break, one phone call, meeting one right person will catapult you to a new level. You've worked hard. You've been faithful. You've honored God. Now get ready for favor. Get ready for God to show out. He's about to do something unusual, something that you haven't seen. Good breaks that you didn't work for. Promotion that you didn't deserve. You can't explain it. You can't take credit for it. It's the favor of God. God told Noah to build an ark, a boat 450ft long. Noah wasn't a builder. That wasn't his profession. It seemed impossible. But God will never ask you to do something and not give you the favor to do it. You have favor. The question is, do you have the faith? Are you going to talk yourself out of it? I don't have the resources. I don't know the right people. I don't have the talent. That's okay. You have something that makes up for all of that. Favor is on your life. It's good to have education, but education alone is not enough. Talent alone is not enough. You need favor for where you're going. You may not know the right people, but don't worry, God does. He has already lined up divine connections, people that will come into your life and use their influence to open doors, to give you opportunity that will push you forward. You don't have to manipulate people, try to convince them to like you, compromise to get your way. If someone is not for you, you don't need them. Don't waste time trying to win them over. The people God has lined up for you, they don't have a choice. They may not like you, but they will help you anyway. They will go out of their way to be good to you. You don't have to find them. They will find you. You keep honoring God, believing, expecting the favor on your life will cause the right people to show up. But the people in Noah's day, they didn't care anything about God. They were living wild, partying, worshiping idols. God was so upset, he was about to destroy the earth, bring a great flood. He could have wiped everyone out and started over. But the scripture says Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Why did he find favor and not all the people around him? They were about to perish. The next verse says, noah continually followed God's will and did what was right. Noah could have compromised, done what everyone else was doing, but he made the choice to walk in obedience. When you honor God, when you keep him first place, you will find favor in the eyes of the Lord. There is a blessing on your life that will push you up when others are going down, well, Joel, if I have favor, why am I having these difficulties? Why do these people come against me? Why did business slow down? Having favor doesn't mean you won't have challenges. Favor is what's going to keep the challenges from defeating you. Sometimes God will put you in a situation so he can show you his favor. One definition of favor is to endorse, to bring to prominence, to give notoriety. If you ask someone to endorse your book, you find a person that has more influence, more credibility, a bigger following. When they put their name on your book because they have such prominence, that instantly gives you more credibility. Oprah Winfrey used to have her book club. When she would endorse a book, the author may not have been known. Nobody's ever heard of them. Without the endorsement, the book would sell a couple thousand copies. But when she got on, her talk show said, this is a great book. You should read it. That simple endorsement would cause it to sell hundreds of thousands of copies. And it's great to have people's endorsement, but you need to get ready. The creator of the universe is about to endorse you. God is going to make things happen so big, so amazing that people will know it couldn't have been you. The medical report said you were done. How'd you get well? God endorsed you. His favor caused you to overcome what looked impossible. How'd your business get so successful? How'd you get so far ahead? We went to the same school. God endorsed you. He showed his favor so people would know you belong to him. This is what happened to Daniel in the scripture. Favor didn't keep Daniel out of trouble. The trouble was a setup for God to endorse Daniel into prominence. Daniel was a teenager living in a foreign country. The king made a decree that no one could pray to any God except the king's God. Well, Daniel worshipped Jehovah. He made this decision. He wasn't going to compromise. So he kept praying like normal. Some people saw him, ran and told the king. The king had Daniel thrown into a den of hungry lions. That should have been the end, but for some reason, the lions couldn't open their mouths. I can hear those lions talking. I'm hungry. I want to eat this guy, but my jaws are messed up. Favor doesn't keep you out of the lion's den, but favor will keep the lions from harming you. The next morning, the king went to check on Daniel. When he found out he was okay, he said, from now on, we're all going to worship the God of Daniel. Well, Joel, maybe that was a lucky break. Maybe the lions weren't hungry that day. When they brought Daniel out, the king had them throw the people in that were against Daniel. Before they hit the bottom of the pit, the lions tore them apart. People saw that. They knew the Lord was on Daniel's side. God is going to do some things that bring you into prominence, into new levels of influence, credibility. People can debate what you say, but they can't debate what they see. When they see you running the company, paying your house off, graduating with honors. When they see you breaking the addiction, beating the cancer, when God endorses you, you come out of the lion's den unharmed. You accomplish dreams way over your head. They will know his hand is on your life. God is about to bring you into greater prosperity. Prominence. You've been in the background long enough, serving faithfully, helping others with no recognition. Your time is coming. David spent years in the shepherd's fields, taking care of his father's. Sheep. I'm sure at times he thought, I don't have favor. I'll never do anything great. I'm stuck out here. Nobody believes in me. The truth is you don't have to have people believe in you. The most high God believes in you. When David defeated Goliath, that one good break, that one endorsement launched him into a new level of his destiny. And it made up for all those lonely years. You may feel like you're falling behind. It's too late to accomplish a dream you'll never get. Well, what God can do for you in one moment will put you 50 years down the road. That's the power of God endorsing you. You've seen on certain products a seal of approval. Maybe on the outside of the box a company has stamped it. It can be a little known product, nobody's ever heard of it. But when that big company puts their stamp on it, their seal, that product has notoriety, prominence. Not because of what it is, but because of who endorsed it. The creator of the universe is about to put his stamp on you. He's already accepted and approved you, but he's about to endorse you. He's about to go public. He's going to show people that you belong to him. You're going to accomplish what you couldn't accomplish on your own. People are going to go out of their way to help you. You're going to defeat giants that are much bigger. People don't think you have a chance. They don't know what's on you. They can't see the favor yet. But when God endorses you, when he shows out, they're not going to have any doubt. The Lord is on your side. Joseph's brothers threw him into a pit. They eventually sold him into slavery. He was falsely accused, put in prison for something he didn't do. All the odds were against him. But the scripture says Joseph had favor in everything that he did. One thing I've learned is you can't keep a favored man down. You can't keep a favored woman down. You may have some obstacles, situations that are not fair. That doesn't mean you don't have favor. Challenges come to us all. But favor is why you're not going to stay down. Favor is why you're going to rise back to the top. And Joseph spent 13 years in the background being overlooked, mistreated. There were plenty of lonely nights. He didn't get bitter. He kept doing the right thing. One day, the Pharaoh had a dream that no one could Interpret. So they brought Joseph in. Now he was standing in front of one of the most powerful people of that day. Joseph interpreted the dream. The pharaoh was so impressed, he made Joseph the prime minister, second in command. I can imagine that meeting took no longer than an hour. Joseph walked in a slave in prison. An hour later, he walked out. The prime minister. You don't know what God can do in an hour. He can take years of heartache, years of being overlooked, years of praying, believing, not seeing any good breaks. And in an hour, not just deliver you. Not just bring a dream to pass, but do something that catapults you to a new level of your destiny. How can this happen? The favor on your life. When God breathes on you, supernatural doors will open. Obstacles that look permanent will turn around. People that were against you will suddenly be for you. Years later, Joseph's brothers came to the palace looking for food. The same ones that threw him into the pit. There was a great famine in their country and they had traveled to Egypt. Well, now Joseph was in charge of the food supply. The prime minister, they did their best to keep him down. But God knows how to endorse. He knows how to put you in a position of prominence. You may kind of feel like you're in a pit today. Don't get discouraged. We all have pit stops along the way in life. The good news is that is not your final destination. God has an endorsement coming. Now I've learned the greater the opposition, the greater the endorsement. The more the enemy tries to pull you back, the more you're going to go forward. Just like a bow and arrow. He thinks he's pulling you back to hinder you. He doesn't realize he's setting you up to shoot further than you've ever imagined. When God says it's time, you're going to shoot into prominence. Shoot into new levels of influence, leadership, respect, income, credibility. When the brothers saw Joseph and finally realized who he was, they nearly passed out. They thought they had gotten rid of him. But what they meant for harm, God used for good. And God is not going to just deliver you, not going to just bring you out. He's going to endorse you. He's going to put you in a position of prominence where people can see you. Honored, respected and admired. For over 40 years, Lakewood was located in a neighborhood on the northeast side of town. Over time, that area became more industrial and a little more run down. When I was growing up, Lakewood was in a small metal building, metal folding chairs, gravel parking lot. We had a Wood portable building for the nurseries. And some people kind of looked down on us like we couldn't afford much. We were second class. We were at a disadvantage. When I became pastor, there were certain people I saw during the week that weren't a part of Lakewood. They wouldn't give me the time of day. They barely even acknowledged that I was there. But In December of 2003, the Houston City council voted for us to have this building, the former compact center. We went from being in the industrial part of town with small roads back in a neighborhood that hardly anybody could find you, to being on the second busiest freeway in the nation in one of the most well known prestigious buildings in our city. That one good break catapulted us to levels of influence and respect that we couldn't have reached on our own in our whole lifetime. Those same people that wouldn't give me the time of day, now they were coming up, asking if I could save them seats. I told them, of course I will, right up by the flag. What am I saying? God knows how to endorse you. He knows how to cause you to be seen in a different light. Don't be discouraged by where you are. God sees what's happening. He's keeping the records. He's going to make the wrongs right. He hears the disrespect. He hears them making fun. The scripture says God heard Miriam criticizing Moses behind his back. They may not give you the time of day. Now, don't worry. An endorsement is coming. Not by people, but by the most high God. He's going to do things that are out of your league, things that you couldn't make happen. Not only amazes you, but people around you are going to be amazed. But people congratulated me for getting to Compact Center. I thought, if you only knew. Yes, I prayed, I believed. But God made things happen that I could have never made happen. The scripture says God will turn the heart of a king. God turn council members that had been against us for years, suddenly they were for us. Right now, God is working behind the scenes in your life. He is setting you up for an endorsement, setting you up for something that you've never seen. Promotion, influence, relationships that will thrust you to a new level. But that city council vote probably took 10 minutes. The mayor brought the motion to the floor, there was a little discussion, then they went around the table and 14 council members voted. It's amazing what God can do in 10 minutes. That 10 minutes changed the course of my life. It's amazing what God can do. In an hour, Joseph meeting with the pharaoh. It's amazing what God can do overnight. Daniel protected in the lion's den. God has some of these destiny moments already lined up for you. You can't see it now. If he showed you, you'd think there's no way. But when God endorses you, it's not like people showing you favor. When God does it, it catapults you ahead. It's not going to take a long time. Yes, you have to be faithful. Joseph was in trouble for 13 years. But it only took him an hour to get out. He didn't see it coming. He woke up that morning thinking it was another ordinary day. He didn't know that was his day to be endorsed. He didn't know that day was a destiny moment. What God has for you is going to happen unexpectedly. You're doing the right thing, honoring him. Out of the blue, someone calls, offers you the promotion. The medical report says, no more cancer. The contract goes through. Or you bump into the person of your dreams. What would happen if we'd get up each day and say, father, thank you for endorsing me today. Let people see that I am your child. Joshua, chapter three. God told Joshua, today I will begin to make you great in the eyes of all the Israelites. God was saying, joshua, this is your moment. I'm about to endorse you. People are going to see the greatness I put in you. You've been in the background. Joshua serving Moses, being faithful. But today, you're coming into the foreground. Not long after that, Joshua led the Israelites into the promised land. The scripture says that day God made Joshua great in the eyes of all the people. God has a that day for you. A time where he will make you great, where he will cause you to stand out, where you will accomplish things you never dreamed you could accomplish. You will know it. And the people around you will see the greatness in you. Helen Major was a longtime member of Lakewood. She taught elementary school for nearly 40 years. So faithful, pouring into the children. She got one promotion after another. Assistant principal, then principal. After a very distinguished career, she retired. A few months later. A new school was opening in the district. The board voted unanimously to name it the Helen Major Elementary School. She never dreamed a school would be named after her. But God knows how to endorse you. He knows how to make your life significant. This is not so we can say, look who we are. Look how great we become. It's about letting God's glory be seen through you. God Wants to make you an example of his goodness. If you will walk in humility and always give God the credit, there's no limit to how high he will take you. Romans 8 says, all creation is eagerly waiting for the day when God reveals who his children really are. All creation is waiting for you to come into that day. The stage has been set. The audience is in place. You keep honoring God. He's going to show people who you really are. He's going to bring you into a position of greater prominence. Now, you may be behind the scenes like I used to be, and there's nothing wrong with that, But God has something bigger. He's going to use you to accomplish something significant, not just be a small part. You're going to shine. You're going to stand out. People are going to see the greatness in you. And it's good to celebrate others. It's good to cheer your friends on. It's good to admire those that are ahead. But God doesn't want you to live in a cheerleader mode, always thinking about how great others are. Can I tell you, there is greatness in you. You have talent, creativity, ability, courage, strength. It's going to come out in a greater way. When you come into that day when God endorses you, people are going to step back and say, wow, I didn't know that was in them. I never dreamed they would shine that brightly. God is going to show people who you really are. There was a young Jewish girl in the scripture named Esther. She was an orphan. She had lost both of her parents. She was living in exile in Persia. Didn't look like she would ever do anything great. But one day, the king was looking for a new queen. He decided to have a nationwide beauty contest where he would choose the next queen. The king sent people out looking for young ladies, and they brought Esther back and put her in the contest. Esther had never been groomed to be a queen, never had the training. She didn't come from a prominent family. They lined all the young ladies up in front of the king. They were all beautiful, all wearing the latest fashion. All had the best hair and makeup I could imagine. The king looked at their resumes. Some of them came from wealth and influence. Some had impressive resumes, great educations, standouts in their field. There were plenty of obvious choices. But for some reason, the king chose Esther. An orphan, a foreigner. When God endorses you, it will cause you to stand out. His favor, will cause you to be preferred. They could have chosen anyone for the contract. For some reason, they Chose you. They could have bought any house in the neighborhood. For some reason, they liked yours best. There were plenty of students that deserved a scholarship. For some reason, they picked you. God knows how to make you attractive. He knows how to make people like you. Sometimes they don't even know why they can't put their finger on it. There's just something about you that's God smiling down on you. Well, Joel, this sounds good. But I don't have the training. I don't have the experience. Neither did Esther. Favor is more powerful than your resume. Favor will take you where you don't have the qualifications. Favor will open doors where you look up and think, how did I get here? I was the least likely one. Esther never dreamed of becoming a queen. That wasn't even on her radar. But when you come into that day, when God endorses you, he will bring you into prominence that you've never imagined. He'll cause opportunity to come to you. Esther wasn't looking for that position. The position came to her. She went from the background to the foreground. Later, Esther used her position to save the Jewish people from a plot to destroy them. I believe one reason God gave her such prominence is he knew she would use the influence to fulfill her purpose. Favor is not about having a bigger house, a better car, more stuff. There's nothing wrong with that. But that's not why God is going to favor you. It's to fulfill your purpose. It's to advance his kingdom. When your dreams are tied to helping others, to making the world a better place, to lifting the fallen, then you will come into some of that days where God will shine more than you've ever imagined. When God can trust you, he will take you from obscurity to notoriety. Now you've worked hard, you've been faithful, you've honored God. You've get ready, the curtain is about to come up. God is about to show people who you really are. I believe and declare you are coming into a new level of prominence, a new level of influence, a new level of income. God is about to endorse you. People are going to see the greatness he put in you. In Jesus name. And if you receive it, can you say Amen today? Well, 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. Get in a good Bible based church and Keep God first Place when we face challenges, it's easy to feel like God has forgotten about us or we don't see anything happening. Thoughts tell us it's not gonna work out, but God is not called the great I was or the great I will be. He's called the Great I Am. In my new book, He Is I Am. You'll discover that God is with you in every area of your life. I Am is always in the present, not at a later time. God is working in your life right now. I Am means I am your healer. I am your provider. I am your waymaker. Whether you're facing a challenge or pursuing your dreams, stay in faith. The great I Am is right there with you.
- [28:53]
Podcast Host
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 book He Is I Am God is for you here and now. Are you in need of protection or provision today? Jesus assures us I am the good Shepherd. Does the path ahead seem uncertain or dark? Jesus declares I am the light of the world. Do you feel like your career calling or marriage is beyond hope? Jesus promises I am the resurrection and the life. With every I Am statement, you'll discover more about who God is and what he has made available for you not someday, but today. Request your copy today and watch God's promise come alive no matter what you face. He is here and now for you. Be sure to request your copy of He Is I Am God Is for you here and now today. Visit jolostein.com or call 888-567.
- [29:55]
Joel Osteen
Joel, you're never alone. The great I Am is behind the scenes, making ways, opening doors, turning things in your favor. Victoria and I want you to know we love you and we pray for you every day. Thanks for your prayer and support of the ministry. Your generosity is making a difference in people's lives around the world. 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 SiriusXM, watch our YouTube channel and the new Joel Osteen Network streaming on television 24 hours a day. But until we see you next time, may the Lord bless you and keep you.
- [30:43]
Podcast Host
Be sure to request your copy of He Is I Am God Is for you here and now today. Visit joelowstein.com or call 888-5673 for an additional donation. This month we are offering the I Am collection. It includes a beautiful two piece Scripture wall art plus the He Is I Am book bundle. The stretched canvas elegantly features I Am and scripture reference John 14:6. You can request these unique resources by calling 888-567, Joel or logging on to jolostein.com today. Call or click anytime 24 hours a day. Yes. Be reminded that the Power of I Am is for you. Each and every day.
- [31:32]
Joel Osteen
We're shipping Mother's Day gifts with a rapid fire round of questions.
- [31:36]
Victoria Osteen
Ready?
- [31:36]
UPS Store Representative
Yes. My gift. Can you pack it?
- [31:38]
Joel Osteen
Yep.
- [31:39]
UPS Store Representative
Ship it?
- [31:39]
Joel Osteen
Yes.
- [31:40]
UPS Store Representative
Guarantee it?
- [31:41]
Joel Osteen
Of course.
- [31:41]
UPS Store Representative
Oh send gift baskets for sure. Protect electronics. Dog proof it. Return it if they hate it.
- [31:47]
Joel Osteen
Yes, no and yeah.
- [31:49]
UPS Store Representative
Are you the UPS store?
- [31:51]
Joel Osteen
Hey, we have a winner.
- [31:53]
UPS Store Representative
Visit the upsstore.com guaranty for full details. Most locations are independently owned. Products, services, prices and hours of operation may vary. See center for details. The UPS Store Visit US Store today.
- [32:06]
State Farm Representative
Let's say your small business has a problem. Like maybe one of your doggie daycare customers had an accident. You might say something like doggone it.
- [32:17]
Joel Osteen
Hi Chihuahua.
- [32:18]
Podcast Host
Holy schnauzers.
- [32:19]
State Farm Representative
But if you need someone who can actually help, just say like a good.
- [32:23]
UPS Store Representative
Neighbor, State Farm is there.
- [32:25]
State Farm Representative
And get help filing a claim from your local state farm agent for your small business insurance needs. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.
- [32:35]
Victoria Osteen
Amazon presents Lisa vs the Mosquito Surviving 100 million years mosquitoes shook off the plate tectonic breakup of Pangea, the asteroid that eliminated the dinosaurs and the ice age. But Lisa shopped on Amazon and bought a can of repellent, a cute long sleeve shirt and a citronella candle. Hey mosquito. Lisa just bodied. You save the everyday with deals from Amazon.