Joel Osteen - Your Faith

Bless you. It's a joy to 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 like to start with something funny and I heard about this reporter He was visiting churches across the nation while in the Northeast He saw this gold phone on the wall with a sign that said calls $10,000 per minute he asked the pastor what it meant the pastor explained that that was a direct line to heaven if you were willing to pay the Price you could talk directly to God He continued visiting different churches saw the same gold phone the same sign when he finally made it to Texas He saw the phone, but the sign said calls 25 cents per minute Intrigued he asked the pastor why it was so much cheaper. The pastor said you're in Texas now. It's a local call 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 your faith Mark chapter 5 there was a lady that had a bleeding disorder for 12 years She'd gone to many doctors spent all of her money tried everything. She could to get well, but nothing helped She continued to go downhill One day there was all this commotion in her town. She found out that Jesus was passing through She had heard the stories of how he had healed a crippled man how he'd opened blind eyes How he'd cured someone with leprosy Something came alive on the inside. She thought he did it for others. He can do it for me She could have been discouraged Complaining life is not fair. Why did this happen? Instead she said to herself if I can get to Jesus and just touch the fringe of his robe I know I will be healed The problem was there was a great crowd surrounding Jesus Thousands of people all packed in seemed impossible Most people would have given up thought hey, it's not meant to be not this lady. She started making her way through the crowd Excuse me. I need to get by Pardon me. I have to get up front. I don't mean to be rude, but move out of my way People looked at her like what's this lady's problem? She was on a mission She had a made-up mind, I'm sure she was weak she had lost blood for years She didn't feel like it, but she fought her way through the crowd One version said she kept saying to herself when I get to Jesus. I know I will be well She was saying I know healing is coming. I know things are turning in my favor. It's tough now I'm tired. I'm weak, but I know I'm close to my breakthrough The reason she could keep going is she kept the right thoughts playing in her mind I can imagine she was so exhausted She finally fell to the ground Had to crawl the last few feet just at the right time She reached out and touched the edge of Jesus road all of a sudden Jesus stopped said to his disciples who just touched me and they said what do you mean? It's crowded out here. Everybody's touching you. He said in effect No, everyone may be bumping into me, but somebody just touched me Somebody drew the miracle working power out of me. They believed healing was coming They believed their child was going to turn around. They believed new doors were going to open. They touched me with expectancy About that time Jesus looked at this woman their eyes met She was afraid thought she'd done something wrong Jesus smiled and said daughter your faith has made you whole go in peace. You are healed Notice the key was her faith was great that her parents were praying her friends were encouraging her Her neighbors were cheering her on that's all good But there's nothing more powerful than your faith When you believe When you expect things to change when you keep saying to yourself, I know the breakthrough is coming I know healing is on the way. I know the right person is in my future. I know what God started He's going to finish your faith can stop the creator of the universe. That's what activates his power There were other people in the crowd that day that were sick Many people that had needs no doubt. They bumped into Jesus nothing happened, but this lady touched him Are you brushing up against him or are you touching him? Are you living with expectancy knowing that he's bigger than those problems? Greater than that sickness more powerful than that opposition or have you become discouraged thinking? It's never going to change God is passing by he has all power Don't just brush up against him Don't be passive and think you could never accomplish your dreams never meet the right person Never start your business do like this lady reach out and touch him release your faith Believe that it will happen This lady was closest to her miracle when she faced the greatest opposition Would have been easy if Jesus would have come just a few disciples She could have gone out and touched him without the struggle without all the people in the way But she had to fight through the crowd the crowd represents broken dreams Things that didn't work out thoughts telling it's never going to get better. You'll never get well never break the addiction The crowd can be negative words people have spoken over us. You're not that talented You can't accomplish your dreams If you're going to reach your potential you have to fight through some things you can't have a week Give up. This is too hard spirit. You have to be more determined than what's trying to stop you You may get knocked down, but you have to get back up again. You need to have a made-up mind This disappointment is not going to stop me I'm not going to let the mistakes I've made the guilt the regrets caused me to shrink back I'm not going to allow the bad breaks the people that did me wrong the rejection the betrayal Caused me to get bitter and stay where I am. I'm going to fight through the crowd Many of the miracles Jesus performed he laid his hands on people and they were healed but in this case Jesus didn't lay hands on the woman the woman laid hands on Jesus Are you waiting for God to lay hands on you so to speak? God this problem so big when are you gonna do something about it? Why don't you lay hands on him? Instead of complaining about the problem Lord. I want to thank you that things are turning in my favor Thank you that no weapon formed against me will prosper Lord. Thank you that you hold victory in store for the upright I don't see a way but Lord. I want to thank you. I know you have a way When you do that, you're laying hands on God Your faith can initiate the healing your faith can be the catalyst for God to do amazing things Acts chapter 14 the Apostle Paul was teaching people. He noticed a crippled man in the crowd He'd been that way since birth and never walked Verse 9 says Paul realized the man had faith to be healed Here the man was just sitting in the audience Listening to Paul, but he must have had such anticipation on his face Paul must have seen something in his expression and Expectancy that something good was going to happen like a little child at a candy store Paul was so impressed. He stopped his message and said sir. I can see you're ready for your miracle stand up The man stood up and instantly he was healed begin to walk for the first time Like that man, we should live with this Anticipation that something good is going to happen Yes, we've all had difficulties. We all have a reason to be sour Don't let that talk you out of what God has in store You wouldn't be alive if there wasn't something amazing in your future Can your faith be seen? Can anyone notice that you're expecting to go to a new level? Are you talking like it's going to happen thinking like it's going to happen believing like it's going to happen God is passing by but if you're negative, I don't see how to work out. I never get any good breaks I've been this way a long time You may brush up against him, but you're not going to touch him You have to show God you're ready to be healed ready to be free ready to be blessed There should be an expectancy it could happen today You could meet the person of your dreams this week. You could see your health turn around this month This year could be your year to go to a new level where things fall into place Good breaks find you promises. You've been believing for suddenly come to pass Well Joel, what if I believe for it and it doesn't happen? What if you believe for it and it does happen? When you live with expectancy Where your faith can be seen in your expressions in your attitude and how you talk That's going to cause God to notice you in a new way God is always with us. He has us in the palm of his hand, but faith is what gets his attention The scripture says it is impossible to please God without faith That's a powerful statement that means you can be obedient and have a sour attitude and Limited vision and not please God You can give serve feed the poor and that's all important We should do that But if you're not believing for things bigger than you can accomplish on your own if you're not expecting Difficulties to turn around if you're not Anticipating new levels thanking God that he's bringing promises to pass then you're not releasing your faith You have to stir up what God put in you. He's passing by Don't just sit back and watch. Well, I wish I could break the addiction. I wish I could accomplish my dreams Why don't you reach out and touch him Lord? I want to thank you that you're opening doors. No man can shut Thank you that you're taking me where I could not go on my own Lord I believe healing is on the way freedom is on the way. The right person is on the way abundance is on the way That's how we touch God today with our faith Well, Joel, I'm waiting for God to do something. Maybe God is waiting on you This lady didn't wait for Jesus to lay hands on her. She laid hands on him And I realize God has a perfect time But the scripture says now faith is faith is always in the present And things may not instantly change We all have waiting periods, but our faith should stay active Our normal attitude should be Lord. I'm looking for your goodness. Not next week. Not next month. Not next year I'm looking for it today Stay in the now live with the anticipation that it could happen today For several years there's been something I've been believing for ways that we can expand the ministry every day I did what I'm asking you to do Lord. I thank you that it's on the way I thank you that you're making things happen that I couldn't make happen Didn't see any sign of it But each morning I went out with expectancy looking for God's goodness knowing it could happen at any moment This went on month after month even year after year no sign How badly do you want it the lady in the scripture waited 12 years But she wanted it so badly. She fought through the crowd Every voice said to her stay home too much trouble. There's so much opposition Her attitude was I've come too far to stop now. I may be tired I may be uncomfortable, but I'm gonna get to Jesus When God sees you doing what you can Believing when there's no sign Thanking him when you're weak taking steps of faith when you're uncomfortable God will give you strength that goes beyond your natural ability. He'll help you do what you couldn't do on your own. I Just kept believing day after day thanking God Last week on Monday something happened that I've been believing for for over three years I was so grateful Then Tuesday morning something even more amazing happened I couldn't believe it if that wasn't enough Tuesday evening something bigger than the first two combined More than I can imagine Happened it was like rapid-fire. Boom. Boom. Boom a flood of God's favor That's the way God is when you stay in faith you Consistently thank him even when there's no sign you will come into these sudden leaves where God not only Surprises you you didn't see it coming, but it will exceed your expectation The scripture talks about how God will do things that will cause our head to spin. My head was spinning that night Maybe you've been praying believing expecting for a long time. Stay encouraged It's on the way you are closer than you think it's going to happen sooner than it looks There's no sign of things improving. Everything looks the same get ready. God is full of surprises He doesn't always do things in a normal way where it gradually gets better He'll do them suddenly out of the ordinary. You didn't see it coming It's because day after day week after week you kept touching him you kept expecting it You kept thanking him. It was on the way. You just kept talking like it was going to happen Your faith is going to make you whole your faith is going to break the addiction Your faith is going to bring you out of death. Your faith is going to help you accomplish your God-given dreams Talked to a lady that started having problems with her legs her muscles and joints were causing her such pain Got to the point where she couldn't walk all the doctors could do was give her medicine for the pain For several months. She couldn't go to work. She couldn't stand up She had to stay at home off of her feet. The prognosis didn't look good. She didn't know if she would ever walk again One Saturday evening she and her husband were watching our services online At the end always ask people to stand to receive Christ Well, her husband stood up right there in the living room. She smiled and was pleasantly surprised He looked at her and said come on, honey. Stand up with me. She was kind of confused said what do you mean? You know, I can't stand he said sure you can took her by the hands and he helped her up He held her while we were praying I can imagine God seeing her there Standing in great pain being held by her husband, but determined to take a step of faith. I said at the end Write this date down. It's going to be a new day of victory that seed took root in her heart She believed it was a new day in a few minutes while she was sitting on the couch She felt the bones in her legs begin to pop and crack and her muscles begin to move She said I can't explain it, but something unusual was happening Strength begin to come back into her legs. Suddenly all that pain was gone Her husband had fallen asleep. She stood up and walked into the bedroom He couldn't believe it the next morning. They both got up and went to church. She said Joel I don't know what happened, but I've been walking normal ever since then What was that? Her faith made her home Just like that lady fought her way through the crowd when God sees you releasing your faith It gets his attention. That's what activates his power She could have been discouraged told her husband don't bother me. You know, I can't stand up but as an act of faith Even though he had to hold her she stood up Can God see your faith? Are you doing anything that says I want to be well, I want to be free I want to go to the next level That's what a man did in Mark chapter 10. His name was Bartimaeus He was a blind beggar sitting on the side of the road Jesus was leaving Jericho and about to pass in front of him when he found out it was Jesus. He started shouting Jesus son of David have mercy on me Well, Jesus technically wasn't the son of David. He was the son of Joseph Why did Bartimaeus call him son of David? He recognized he was the Messiah a few chapters earlier The religious leaders didn't recognize Jesus. They thought he was a fraud. They were jealous Intimidated it's interesting that this blind man a man that didn't have physical sight Was one of the first ones to recognize Jesus as the Messiah When he cried out Jesus son of David he was saying Messiah Healer deliverer most high God Jesus stopped in his tracks I can imagine Jesus thinking here's someone that knows who I am He knows I am all-powerful he's expecting my goodness When Bartimaeus started shouting people around him said Bartimaeus be quiet. You're causing a scene He's gonna get upset with you people will try to talk you out of your miracle They'll tell you all the reasons why you can't get well why you won't break the addiction why you won't meet the right person It's because they don't know what God put in you. They can't hear what you hear Negative voices will try to discourage you But when you get quiet, you'll hear that still small voice saying this addiction is not your destiny You're better than this Living in lack not able to get ahead is not your lot in life Abundance is on the way Being depressed no passion. That is not who you are Freedom is coming. Joy is coming breakthroughs are coming God whispers in your spirit dreams and promises what you can become The enemy will do his best to drown that out No matter how loud those other voices are don't let them talk you out of what God has whispered in your spirit The scripture talks about the secret petitions of our hearts That's the dreams God gave you at night the promises you haven't told anyone about It seems too far out like it could never happen. That's God speaking to you His dream for your life is much bigger than your own but these people saw Bartimaeus as Insignificant unimportant. He's just a blind beggar. They told him to be quiet, but Bartimaeus shouted even louder When Jesus heard him he stopped and said let him come to me Verse 50 says Bartimaeus threw off his coat This was significant in those days Scholars tell us when a person had a legitimate disability They were given an official coat from the government that gave them the right to beg The beggars coat was very valuable That's how they made their living on the other hand it labeled you as a beggar Just as we recognize people by their uniforms police officer firefighter a doctor when you wore the beggars coat Everywhere you went people knew you're at a disadvantage You're not up to par in a sense that coat gave you the right to feel sorry for yourself The right to be depressed the right to sit around in self-pity When Bartimaeus heard Jesus say come the first thing he did was throw off his coat His attitude was this is a new day. I am done feeling sorry for myself I'm done wearing this label that says disadvantaged. I'm done begging. I don't need this coat anymore He changed his mindset. I am NOT a victim. I am a victor. God is on the throne He's bigger than this problem he has beauty for these ashes he got rid of the excuses as Long as you justify where you are Making excuses as to why you can't rise higher why you're at a disadvantage why you're bitter then you'll get stuck I wonder how many of us are wearing that beggars coat Joel I had a bad childhood. I've got a good reason to be bitter Somebody walked out of a relationship. I lost a loved one. I came down with an illness. That's why I'm negative. That's why I'm sour Before you can get well, you have to take off the beggars coat Can I tell you we all have a reason to feel sorry for ourselves? Everybody's been hurt. Everybody's made mistakes Everybody's had disappointments get rid of the excuses. It may not have been fair, but God is fair He's a God of justice. He wouldn't have allowed it if it was going to keep you from your purpose And I'm all for being compassionate loving kind, but I don't believe in giving people the right to feel sorry for themselves Not because it wasn't fair not because life didn't throw you a curve But because it will keep you from seeing the beauty for ashes. It will keep you from being restored healed vindicated promoted God wants to make the enemy pay he wants to bring you out better Do your part take off the self-pity take off the hurts take off the disappointments You can't reach your destiny making excuses as long as you're wearing the beggars coat Giving yourself a reason to be bitter and feel disadvantaged feel less than it will keep you from the new levels God has in store When Bartimaeus took off that coat He was not only leaving his livelihood. He was leaving the negative things of the past. It was symbolic He was leaving the dysfunction the bad breaks You have to be willing to leave some things if you're going to become all you were created to be You may need to leave bitterness leave a bad attitude leave compromise Jesus told Bartimaeus to come he couldn't see but he started walking toward Jesus based solely on what he heard You may not see healing yet, but you have to go by what you've heard by his stripes. I am healed You don't see increase yet. Business is slow go by what you've heard. I will lend and not borrow Your child's off course no sign of him improving as for me in my house. We will serve the Lord Walk by faith and not by sight Jesus asked Bartimaeus. What is it that you want me to do for you? He said Lord, I want to see Jesus said your faith has made you whole go in peace. You were healed instantly. He could see God is saying to us what he said to him your faith is going to turn things around Your faith is going to open the right doors. Your faith is going to bring unusual favor It's going to happen sooner than it looks Keep expecting it keep talking like it's going to happen go out each morning looking for God's goodness He's passing by don't just brush up against him do like this lady Reach out and touch him if you'll do this I believe and declare like Bartimaeus your faith is going to make things happen that you could never make happen God is about to open Supernatural doors turn impossible situations around and take you to the fullness of your destiny in Jesus name if you receive it, can you say amen today? 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'll repent of my sins Come into my heart. I'll make you my Lord and Savior Friends if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again get in a good Bible based church Keep God first place Your partnership makes this ministry possible your faithful and consistent monthly support makes you a champion of hope The vision of Joel Osteen ministries is to use every Avenue available to present the hope of Jesus Christ to people everywhere We know it is this hope and the transforming power of the gospel that makes an eternal difference in people's lives To partner with Joel Osteen ministries visit Joel Osteen dot-com slash partner today