en-us Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:10:50 -0500 http://www.joelosteen.com It's time to believe again. You may have situations that look like they're set in stone, but everything you're facing is subject to change. It is not over until God says it is over. Even if you've been praying for a situation for ten or thirty years, God is still at work and has an answer. We shouldn't accept the difficult situations in our lives or unanswered prayers as permanent. Despite what's going on externally, no matter how long things have been the way they are, decide to hope and believe in God. In the natural, things may look the same, but the scripture says in Philippians 2:13 that God is constantly at work in those who believe. We need to have the attitude that we are not moved by what we see, but we are moved by what we know. We know is that the Creator of universe is at work in those who believe in His resurrecting power. Do you believe in the power of Almighty God? If you'll remember how big God is and view every difficult situation as temporary, you will come to a new season of peace, faith and hope. God is always at work in those who believe! Joel Osteen Sat, 22 Nov 2008 21:12:03 -0500 1486220 http://www.joelosteen.com You were created to do extraordinary things. By recognizing this and knowing that God has a bright future for you, it keeps you from getting frustrated and feeling defeated whenever some trying challenges come your way. You'll stay in perfect peace. Without the incredible challenges in life, we would not have the incredible promotion that follows. An example of this is a man in the Bible by the name of Joseph. He never let go of his God-size dream. Even through years of tough disappointment, rejection, time in prison and injustice, he stayed faithful to God and remembered the faithfulness of his God. In the end, he saw incredible promotion. Big people face big problems. The good news is we don't have to be worried. We serve a big God. Stir up what God has put on the inside of you. We're not supposed to have little dreams, little plans and little prayers that nothing challenging comes our way. It's the large challenges that bring us to new levels of God's favor. Look down on the inside of you today, and you will find a God-size dream. Dare to believe for something great in your life because you are an extraordinary person! Joel Osteen Sun, 16 Nov 2008 04:21:18 -0500 1474733 http://www.joelosteen.com If you could pull back the curtain and look behind the scenes in your life, you would see God arranging events here and there, strategically causing you to be at the right place at the right time, bringing about His plan of victory for your life. There are no coincidences with our God. The people we meet, the situations we come across, the trials we go through, God has a plan and purpose for it. When we begin to view the events in our life through God's eyes, realizing we are in a controlled environment, it takes the pressure off and allows you to stay in peace. God has you in the palm of His hand. Nothing is a surprise to Him or catches Him off guard! You can relax and enjoy your life knowing that nothing can happen to you without God's permission. Joel Osteen Sat, 08 Nov 2008 03:40:10 -0500 1461313 http://www.joelosteen.com A bounce-back person sees adversity and every setback not as permanent, but temporary. It's not going to last forever. Every difficulty that comes your way, you can be encouraged by it, knowing that you're going to come out better than you were before. Why is that? Because it is in our DNA. God created us and intends us to walk in the same power which raised Christ from the dead, that same overcoming power and attitude that even the grave can't keep down. Studies prove that during a hurricane, a palm tree will simply stretch and not break from the strong winds. It's bent and pushed over, and all the while, it's root system is actually being strengthened and given new opportunities for growth. That is the same way we were built to be. It even says in Psalm 92:12, "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree." That means God knew there would be difficult times in our lives, that things would come against us, trying to steal our joy, peace and victory. He's not surprised by our difficulties, but rather knew ahead of time and equipped us with everything we need in Him! Because we have strong roots, we are going bounce right back. The storms in life will come. The winds will blow. But no weapon formed against us will prosper! Joel Osteen Sat, 01 Nov 2008 11:04:04 -0400 1450380 Joel Osteen, Victoria Osteen, Dodie Osteen, Dr. Paul Osteen, Lisa Comes and Israel Houghton Sun, 19 Oct 2008 01:32:24 -0400 1424206 http://www.joelosteen.com We all have things we feel could be a disadvantage, things that make it harder on us. It may not be something physical, it may be the way we were raised, a disappointment we went through, a setback. But just because you have a "disadvantage", just because you've been through a tough time, doesn't mean you're supposed to sit back and settle where you are. God still has something great for you to do. You may not look like everyone else and be able to do what others can do, but if you will stay in faith and not get negative toward yourself and toward your future, then what you think is a liability, God will turn around to be an asset. What you think is a disadvantage, God will turn around to be an advantage. Too many people are waiting for God to remove everything and make them perfect before they pursue their dreams and go after their destiny. No, you need to go after your destiny right now and make the decision to live a no-excuse life. Honor God with what you have. God knew all the issues we would have to face, our struggles, our weaknesses, our inadequacies. We are no surprise to God. And many times what you think is a handicap is the very thing God will use to get you into your divine destiny. He'll take every stumbling block and turn it into a stepping stone! Joel Osteen Sun, 19 Oct 2008 01:32:24 -0400 1426453 Joel and Victoria Osteen at Lakewood Church Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:32:33 -0400 1399426 http://www.joelosteen.com We hear a lot about detoxing our physical bodies today from all the chemicals, bacteria and pesticides in our foods. It does our body good to go through deep cleanses and rid our bodies of toxins. In the same way, there are all kinds of toxins that can build up in our mind. When we go around dwelling on the wrong thoughts, thinking about what we can't do, how somebody hurt us, what someone said we couldn't do, and how we'll never get ahead; those thoughts are toxic thoughts. And toxic thoughts left alone become like toxic waste. It will eventually contaminate our whole life. It affects our self-image. It affects our attitude and our level of confidence. It becomes a part of who we are. That's why it says in Proverbs 4:23, "Above all else guard your heart for it affects everything you do." The writer is saying to make guarding your mind a priority. Put this at the top of your "To Do" list because if your mind gets polluted, your whole life is going to be polluted. Every morning when we get up, we should go through this cleansing and detoxing. Forgive the people that have hurt us. Let go of every disappointment. Detox low self-esteem. Detox the negative words. Detox little dreams. If you will guard your mind and not let these toxic thoughts take root, but keep it full of faith-filled thoughts, you're going to rise higher and higher into new levels with God! Joel Osteen Tue, 30 Sep 2008 08:23:23 -0400 1392312 http://www.joelosteen.com There have been many people in the past who failed to walk in all God had for them. Don't miss all that God has for you. God has many opportunities and blessings for you. Just be bold, step out and accept all that He has. There have been family members in your past that failed to walk in all God had for them. There was potential, favor and opportunities ready, yet never experienced simply because of one thing: they didn't step out. Today, you can break the former mindsets that have been passed down to you and release ancestral blessings in your life in return. God wants to make you a thousand times greater than what you are. He wants to pour over your life ancestral blessings. That's all the blessings, dreams, potential and favor that are stored up in your family line. There are things that have been stolen from your family because relatives failed to walk in what belonged to them. They are all stored up waiting to be released on those who will rise up and believe for God to return to them what belongs to their family. Step out today into all God has for you. Dare to believe that you can have all that God has for you and leave a legacy for your family to follow. Joel Osteen Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:52:38 -0400 1362634 http://www.joelosteen.com Ephesians 2:10 says that "We are God's masterpiece." That means you are not average. You are not ordinary. You are one of a kind. When God created you He went to great lengths to make you exactly the way He wanted. You didn't just happen to get your personality. You didn't just accidentally get your nose, your skin color, your gifts or abilities. God designed you the way you are on purpose, for a purpose. The Apostle Paul said, "We should be to the praise of God's glory." In this passage, he's not talking about giving God praise with our words, although that is important. He's encouraging us to make our lives a living praise to Him! When you understand your value, and not only who you are but Whose you are, then your very existence will give God praise. When you are secure in who God made you, and you go out each day being your best, your life will give God praise. In other words, driving to work you're giving God praise. Mowing the lawn you're giving God praise. Going to the grocery store you're giving God praise. Walking through the mall you're giving God praise! Honor God today by accepting who you are. Make the decision to be the best you can be. Get up every morning and set your mind in the right direction by making positive affirmations over your life: "I'm the apple of God's eye. I'm His masterpiece. His fingerprints are all over me." If you will learn to accept and approve yourself and have a right opinion about who you are then you're going to rise higher. God is going to pour out His blessings and you will live that life of victory that God has in store! Joel Osteen Sat, 30 Aug 2008 13:32:18 -0400 1343754 http://www.joelosteen.com God has equipped you with everything you need to fulfill your destiny. The Scripture tells us that as believers in Jesus Christ, we are anointed. The word anointing is the power of God which gives you courage, strength, and ability. That means you are well-able to do what He has called you to do. You can accomplish your goals. You have the ideas, the creativity and talent to be successful. You can overcome any obstacle! You've been armed with strength for every battle! The forces that are with you are greater than the forces that are against you! Being anointed means that you are fully equipped for everything God has called you to. God has already lined up the right people to come across your path. Hes already lined up the right breaks. You have everything you need to live a victorious life. You were created to excel! You have seeds of greatness on the inside of you. You may not have seen it in the past but if you'll stay in faith its just a matter of time. Its on its way. Don't settle where you are. Don't have weak, defeated mentality. No, put your shoulders back. Have the attitude, I am anointed. I can accomplish my dreams. I can overcome any obstacle. Ive been equipped and empowered by the Creator of the universe! I am fully equipped to live the abundant life God as in store! Joel Osteen Sat, 23 Aug 2008 21:12:24 -0400 1333281 http://www.joelosteen.com God wants to surprise and bless you. Just like a surprise in our every day lives from a loved ones causes much delight and joy, making us feel special, God wants to surprise us with His goodness. When we take the time to realize the small surprises that show up in our lives, this will create an attitude of faith and joy. He even wants to take what seems to be a setback or distraction in our lives, and turn it around to bless us; surprising us! The Scripture says in Deuteronomy 28, "If we will keep God first place, if we will walk in His ways, all these blessings will overtake us." That means you won't be able to outrun the good things of God. One translation of the word "overtake" means "to catch by surprise." Our Heavenly Father wants to be good to us. He wants to amaze us with His goodness. We should get up every morning with the attitude, "I can't wait to see what God is going to do!" And you may have had some victories in the past, but you haven't seen anything yet; God is about to super size your dreams and surprise you by accomplishing more than you can ask or think. Joel Osteen Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:56:02 -0400 1320919 http://www.joelosteen.com It's easy to be tempted to give up on a goal, prayer or desire when it seems as if the answer isn't coming as quickly as you would like. Yet, at these times, dare to learn how to hope even more in God. Usually, our battles seem the darkest just before the dawn. Just like a woman experiences birth pains right before the birth of her child, we too experience intense moments before breakthrough. Yet, we must not give up prematurely during these heated times. In Hebrews 10:35 it says, "Do not cast away your confidence for it will be richly rewarded." As faith-filled believers, we must keep hoping, keep believing and staying faithful. Many times, we are closer than we think to victory. God is faithful to His promises. When God says we will be richly rewarded for keeping our confidence in Him, that should give us a second wind, giving us fuel to keep up the faith. Don't give up today on your dreams and your hope in God. By developing the attitude, "I've come too far to stop now" and learning how to be full of hope, expecting God's favor daily, you'll see God begin to do amazing things, even in the midst of trying times! You are closer than you think to victory. Dare to hope in God and His promises. You will not be disappointed! Joel Osteen Sat, 09 Aug 2008 04:12:35 -0400 1310549 http://www.joelosteen.com We all have battles we can choose to engage in each day. There are small petty battles and then there are battles that come across our path that can launch us into our God given destinies. The difference between the two is one type of battle will distract and drain you from the strength you'll need for the real battle that's important to fight. Many people miss out on God's best because they are distracted by battles that really don't matter; trying to prove themselves to people, trying to be right all of the time, fighting about small insignificant matters with your spouse and children. Engaging in these battles do not do any good, rather they stir up dissension and cause strife which will rob you and the people around you of peace. The Bible says in Proverbs 20:3, "Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor." We're not supposed to be in fight mode all the time. When we learn the difference between which battles to fight, and learn to practice self control, we will have strength for when we really need to fight the battle that matters; the battle standing between you and your God given destiny. You'll have enough strength and discernment, and you will find yourself blessed, ready and assured; ready for all that God has for you to be! Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Aug 2008 11:48:05 -0400 1300669 http://www.joelosteen.com God longs for us to be like a well watered garden, flourishing, full of joy, always in blossom. Yet many times, due to situations that are happening in our lives, we don't necessarily feel like we are in full blossom, rather we feel like we're in a dry spell. When this happens, instead of giving up and accepting your present circumstance as your lot in life, decide to praise God more than you ever have. In the Bible, the psalmist said, "I will keep on hoping for You to help me. I will praise You more and more." When we decide to give God praise, something powerful and supernatural happens. Peace, joy and divine favor begin to rain down over our lives. By praising God at all times, what happens in the natural with rain, will be the same spiritually over your lives; a cloud can only hold so much condensation, so many vapors, before it releases. In the same way, when you keep sending up praise, you keep singing, "God is good all the time," that cloud can only hold so much before the blessings come bursting back down. When you stay full of praise, God's blessing will begin raining down, making sure that you are always in blossom; causing you to bloom where you're currently planted, even if you're in a dry spell! Joel Osteen Sat, 26 Jul 2008 19:28:10 -0400 1289982 http://www.joelosteen.com You're not a survivor. You are more than a conqueror. It's easy to get into a survival mode. When times get tough and things aren't going our way, it's tempting to just settle where we are, not believe for increase and not believe to go any further. It's tempting to think, "If I can just hold on. If I can just make it through another year." If we're not careful, we'll develop a survival mentality to where we're not releasing our faith. We're not believing to rise any higher. We're just hoping to maintain. We'd be satisfied if we could just break even. But we're not supposed to break even. We're supposed to break through to a new level, to more of God's favor, increase and promotion. God says in the book of Jeremiah that if we'll keep the Lord as our trust and confidence, God will prosper us even in the desert. He'll prosper us even in difficult times. That means when others are going under God says you'll go over! God can prosper us even in the desert if we'll just be bold enough to believe. You were created to thrive in life! Won't you believe that for your life today? Joel Osteen Sun, 20 Jul 2008 02:56:03 -0400 1279442 http://www.joelosteen.com There are all kinds of voices and thoughts we can tune in to each day. Just like a radio station, there are hundreds of different frequencies that are available. There is the negative frequency that says, âYouâll never accomplish your dreamsâ, âYouâll never get wellâ, âYouâll never get married.â Then, there is the âVoice of Victoryâ frequency. The âVoice of Victoryâ is found in Godâs Word. It says, âYou are blessed.â âYou are prosperousâ, âYou can do all thingsâ, âYour best days are still aheadâ. Despite the many voices you hear today, the key is to keep the negative voices from getting deposited into your spirit. The scripture says in Philippians 4:8 to âThink on things that are pure, things that are wholesome, things that are of a good report.â Friends, when you latch on to the âVoice of Victoryâ and let these faith-filled thoughts take deep root in your hearts, your faith will produce a positive harvest, and you will live that victorious life! Joel Osteen Sun, 29 Jun 2008 09:28:03 -0400 1248292 An incredible testimony of how a 10 year old girl is overcoming her battle against autism - and how attending Lakewood Church and hearing the encouragement and hope found in Jesus Christ from Joel Osteen is changing her life. Joel Osteen Sat, 28 Jun 2008 01:20:09 -0400 1246931 http://www.joelosteen.com We all face difficult seasons in life. The key to victory during these times is to stay encouraged. Although it’s important to be lifted up by our friends, the best way to stay encouraged is to encourage ourselves! In a day and age when people are very critical of themselves, we need to be just the opposite and become our own greatest encourager. One of the best examples of this is David. 1 Samuel 30:6 says, ”David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.” He faced many oppositions, disappointments, and set backs. But the key to David’s success is found in the fact that despite the negative circumstances all around him, he drew his strength from the Lord and remembered what God had done for him in the past. One of the greatest ways to encourage ourselves is to remember what the Lord has done for us. No one else can truly know how the Lord has provided for, cared for, blessed, and delivered you than yourself! Focus your mind and heart on what the Lord has done for you. You’ll increase your faith and have more strength, hope and joy to continue living a better life in Christ. Joel Osteen Sun, 22 Jun 2008 16:56:19 -0400 1237412 http://www.joelosteen.com Every one of us has seeds of greatness on the inside. Many times we simply need someone else to stir them up by sharing an encouraging word. In fact, the Bible says to encourage one another daily. This means that we should always be looking around us to see who we can bless through our words. For many of us, we would not be where we are today if someone had not cheered us on and believed in us. Their simple encouragement impacted our lives and caused us to rise higher. But, not everyone has lived in a positive, uplifting environment. You may be the only person that can speak life into those around you. Look for potential in others. Speak encouraging words to your friends, family and co-workers. If you do, then lives will be changed through a simple, "You can do it. I believe in you." Joel Osteen Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:40:15 -0400 1227067 http://www.joelosteen.com There are people who God brings into our lives that hold the key to our promotion. They hold the key to us reaching our full potential. But these people are not here to help us or to give us breaks or open new doors; these are people that God places in our path so we can help them, and show them favor. They are divinely connected to our destiny. We wonât go higher until we help them go higher. You have to step out and sow a seed into those people. The higher they rise, the higher you will rise. If you will help others fulfill their dreams, God will help you fulfill your dreams. Make the effort to develop a habit of âpushing people up.â When you take time to invest in someone else it doesnât go unnoticed. Every minute you encourage that friend, every mile you go out of your way to do a good deed, every penny you spend to make someone else better, know that God sees it. Heâs not only going to pay you back, Heâs going to multiply what youâve sown. When you push people up, the blessings are going to come down! Youâre going to get breaks, see His favor, and new doors are going to open to you. As you live your life as a giver, and look for ways to help others, youâre going to see your dreams and desires come to pass. God will fulfill His promises to you and youâll live the abundant life He has prepared for you! Joel Osteen Mon, 09 Jun 2008 08:12:12 -0400 1216814 http://www.joelosteen.com Do you have a plan for personal growth? Are you doing anything intentionally and strategically to better yourself? Understand today that growth is not automatic. You can have success but that doesn’t mean you’ve reached your highest potential. There is always room for increase. There are greater mountains to climb and new frontiers to be explored in life! So many people fall into "destination disease" where they think they have arrived just because they reached a certain goal. They think that since they accomplished something, or got their degree, or a certain position, that they can just kick back and coast on what they’ve already learned. But, in order to continue advancing in life, we have to take responsibility for our own growth. We have to have the attitude, “How can I improve. What can I do to make myself better?” We have to stir up that desire to learn. We should have a goal to grow and learn something new everyday. It can be as simple as, “I’m going to get up every morning and spend the first twenty minutes meditating on God’s Word and thanking Him for what He’s done.” “I’m going to listen to a teaching CD on the way to work.” “At night, I’m going to turn the TV off a little bit earlier and read a book for twenty minutes.” “I’m gong to hook up with my mentor twice a month and go out to lunch.” “I’m going to be at church every weekend.” That’s a growth plan. As you take responsibility for your personal growth, God will honor your efforts. He’ll give you the right breaks. He’ll give you the right opportunities and He’ll help you rise higher and higher. As you continue to grow, you’ll see every dream and desire God has put in your heart, come to pass! Joel Osteen Tue, 03 Jun 2008 23:56:01 -0400 1206348 http://www.joelosteen.com Joel Osteen Mon, 26 May 2008 23:28:16 -0400 1196638 http://www.joelosteen.com The Scripture says in Psalm 24, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.” God wants us to live a full life�'a life where we’re continually exploring new things, new hobbies, new cultures, new personalities, and new ways of thinking. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut to doing the same thing again and again�'eating the same foods, listening to the same music, hanging around the same type of people. If we’re not careful life can become very narrow. The reason many people have lost their enthusiasm and excitement for each day is because they are underexposed. They won’t try anything new. They won’t go anywhere different. There’s no freshness to their life. But when you get outside of your community, when you get outside your culture you open the door for God to reveal Himself to you in a fresh, new way. When you get around people that are not just like you: people that don’t have your sense of humor, people that have different interests, people that grew up in another environment, people that don’t have your same skin color, it makes your life broader. New experiences make your life richer, fuller, and more enjoyable. When you open yourself to new things, you open the door for God to bring you new opportunities, and you open yourself to enjoy the full life the Lord has prepared for you. Joel Osteen Sun, 18 May 2008 23:04:03 -0400 1183422 http://www.joelosteen.com God is constantly trying to plant new seeds in your hearts, telling you that you can accomplish your dreams, you can break any addiction, and overcome the past. But too often, because of the “wrong software” in our minds, those seeds cannot take root. Instead of agreeing with God and thinking positive, empowering thoughts, we do just the opposite. We think, “I can’t do that. I’m not talented. I’m too old. I’ve been through too much.” Our “mental software” is contaminated. Have you allowed strongholds to convince you that this is as good as it gets and you’re never going to go any further? Quit listening to those lies that are telling you you’ve reached your limits. There is still time for you to fulfill your destiny and leave your mark. You wouldn’t be here today if God didn’t have something else for you to accomplish. You have an assignment, you have someone to impact, you have a new mountain to climb…you are a person of destiny. You were created to make a difference! If you’ll learn to get rid of these wrong mindsets and start thinking thoughts of possibility, positive thoughts of faith, then your life is going to follow your thoughts. That’s when God is going to pour out His blessings and favor on you. You’re going to overcome every obstacle and defeat every enemy, and you’re going to see every dream, and every desire God has put in your heart, come to pass! Joel Osteen Tue, 13 May 2008 14:52:01 -0400 1176946 http://www.joelosteen.com One thing is certain, change is inevitable. People change, jobs change, styles change, and seasons change. Change is part of God’s plan for us, but so many people resist change and try to hold on to the familiar. But God brings change in order to keep us from getting stuck in a rut. Change causes us to stretch and grow; it causes us to use our faith and tap into the potential on the inside of us. Sometimes the very things we fight against, the very things we think are trying to pull us down are actually part of God’s plan to launch us into a new season. Sometimes God stirs us out of comfortable situations and puts us in situations in order to stretch us and cause us to use our faith. We may not like it, and it may be uncomfortable, but God loves us too much to just leave us alone! We have to stay open for change. Don’t approach change from a negative point of view or automatically assume it’s going to be bad. You may not like the change, but God would not allow it if He didn’t have a purpose for it. If you’ll learn to not only accept change but to embrace it, God promises He will do a new thing in your life, and His “new” is always much better than the old! You may have had great victories in your past, but your greatest victories are still ahead of you. God wants to take you higher and higher so you can live the life of victory He has in store for you! Joel Osteen Mon, 05 May 2008 14:28:15 -0400 1164567 http://www.joelosteen.com Anytime God is about to take you to a new level you're going to face opposition. There will be new battles to fight and new obstacles to overcome. It's easy to get discouraged and think, "Why is this happening?" But we have to change our thinking and focus on the fact that on the other side of those challenges is a new level of victory-a new level of success. David would only be known as a shepherd boy if it weren't for Goliath. David's enemy became the tool that God used to promote him. And God will do the same in your life today. He'll use those challenges and difficulties in your life to catapult you towards success! If you are going through a hard time today, if things look impossible, don't give up now. Change your perspective and believe that God is working behind the scenes. Put a smile on your face and stand in confidence knowing that you are a child of the Most High God. When all is said and done, you're not just going to come out of that difficulty, but you're coming out stronger, wiser, and better than you were before! That problem is going to be the catalyst for God to open supernatural doors of opportunity for you! Stand strong in the Lord today and trust that what the enemy meant for your harm, God will turn around and use to your advantage. He'll take you places you never dreamed and cause you to rise higher and higher in every area of your life! Joel Osteen Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:56:08 -0400 1154761 http://www.joelosteen.com Joel Osteen Sun, 20 Apr 2008 21:32:08 -0400 1142070 http://www.joelosteen.com Joel Osteen Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:56:24 -0400 1122694 Lisa Comes shares during a midweek service at Lakewood Church on Don't Be Afraid - Just Believe! These are the word of Jesus as He spoke to Jairus in Mark 5:21. And, these are the words that Jesus is still speaking to us. Lisa Comes Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:28:17 -0400 1115488 Dr. Paul Osteen shares about his trip to Kenya while it was engulfed in a deadly civil war during the month of February. Dr. Paul Osteen Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:28:17 -0400 1115489 During a Lakewood Church midweek service, Marcos Witt shares how you and I can be more like Jesus Christ. Marcos Witt Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:28:17 -0400 1115490 http://www.joelosteen.com God’s dream for your life is so much bigger than your own! God wants to bless you indeed and enlarge your territory. When you prayer bold prayers you open the door for God’s plan to unfold in your life. The Scripture says, “You have not because you ask not.” In other words, if you want God’s favor, blessings, and increase, you have to release your faith through prayer. Jesus put it this way, “According to your faith it will be done unto you.” That means if you pray little you’ll receive little. If you’ll learn to pray boldly, and have a bold expectations, your faith will allow God to do big things in your life. Will you be bold enough to ask? Wake up every morning and ask for more influence. Ask God to help you be a greater blessing. Ask Him to bring your dreams and desires to pass. That’s not being selfish. We have not because we ask not. Make the decision to take a step of faith towards the dreams in your heart. If you’ll learn to pray bold prayers and ask God for big things, your faith will be released and God will pour out His blessings and favor. You’ll rise higher and higher and you’ll see every dream and desire, come to pass in your life! Joel Osteen Sun, 30 Mar 2008 12:04:05 -0400 1108392 http://www.joelosteen.com Joel Osteen Tue, 25 Mar 2008 03:48:16 -0400 1099348 http://www.joelosteen.com Did you know that how you see yourself determines what kind of life you going to live? Too many people go around with low self-esteem and a poor self-image. Society has a way of conditioning people to lose through failures, rejection, and past mistakes. Don’t let society distort the true image of who you really are, you were born to win! You were created for more than just average. You were created for more than just barely getting by. God created you in His own image! You have the blood of a champion on the inside! You didn’t come from ordinary stock. You came from the best of the best. God breathed His life into you and you have His royal blood flowing through your veins. He has equipped you with everything you need to succeed. You can overcome any obstacle and accomplish every goal in your heart because you have the DNA of Almighty God! No matter where you are, no matter what you’ve done, nothing can change your DNA. If you’ll develop the right image on the inside and see yourself as a champion, God says you will become what you believe and you will live the life of victory He has in store for you! Joel Osteen Sat, 15 Mar 2008 19:04:38 -0400 1086041 http://www.joelosteen.com Do you ever feel like you are limited by the system of this world? You go to work, get a paycheck, and that determines your limits. Maybe you have dreams and desires, but you don’t feel like you have the right connections. Or maybe you don’t have the right education. It’s tempting to think, “I’ll never rise any higher. I’m limited to the system that I’m in.” But you have to remember, God likes to go outside the system! He likes to do unusual, extraordinary things. You may have a dream in your heart that’s bigger than your finances. It’s bigger than your education, bigger than anything that your family has ever done. And it’s easy to think, “Well, I don’t have the expertise. I don’t have the connections. I don’t have the right people behind me.” It may be bigger than your system but be encouraged today. You may not have the right connections but you have God�'you and God are a majority! Your dream is not dependent on other people. God loves to take ordinary people and use them to do extraordinary things. You have not seen your best days yet. No matter where you are in life, no matter what environment you’re in, no matter how impossible your dreams may seem. You need to know God already has a plan. He already has a way. If you will stay in faith God will go outside the system and take you places that you never thought possible! He’ll take you way beyond your system and you live the life of victory He has in store! Joel Osteen Sun, 02 Mar 2008 09:52:23 -0500 1064310 http://www.joelosteen.com It’s easy to get stuck in life thinking you’ve reached your limits, or that you’ve gone as far as you can go. But the truth is, as long as you’re breathing, you have potential inside of you that you haven’t tapped into yet. There are gifts and talents that you haven’t discovered. You can rise higher in life! You can go further in your career. You can have better relationships. You can experience greater success in every area of your life. When God created you, He not only breathed His life into you, He deposited a part of Himself inside of you. He placed within you everything you need to fulfill your destiny. Right now you have seeds of greatness inside waiting to take root and blossom. In order to tap into this hidden treasure, you have to have a pioneering spirit. It doesn’t matter where you were raised, or what anyone in your family has accomplished�'you can rise higher! You can accomplish things that you once thought were impossible. You have talent and ability that has not yet come to fruition. Don’t die with the treasure still buried inside! Start taking steps of faith and believe that you can rise higher. Get up every morning and declare that your best days are ahead of you. As you develop an attitude of expectancy, the seeds of faith inside will grow stronger. You will begin to accomplish things you never thought were possible. You’ll tap into that potential inside and live the life of victory God has in store for you! Joel Osteen Tue, 26 Feb 2008 01:40:06 -0500 1053537 http://www.joelosteen.com Success is intentional, not accidental. You may not know what steps to take right now in life to accomplish what God has put in your heart, but God knows the plan, and if you'll do your part to seek Him and begin to make plans to succeed, God will guide you. It says in the scriptures, "The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps." You don't have to vaguely go through life. God wants to direct your steps. He wants to show you His plan. Decide today to make plans to succeed. Write down your goals. Make time to evaluate where you are in life. Evaluate your finances, your career, your relationships. Don't go another week without having a plan for your future. Evaluate how you're spending your time and money. If you'll go beyond dreaming, and start making plans to succeed, God promises He's going to direct your steps and He will lead you down the path of His favor. Joel Osteen Sun, 10 Feb 2008 00:20:21 -0500 1028565 http://www.joelosteen.com Make the choice to stay alive your whole life by keeping your dreams, purpose and goals in front of you. Remember, you have a specific destiny to fulfill created by Almighty God. You didn't just accidentally show up on planet earth. God knew you before you were formed in your mother's womb, and He has an assignment for you. You were created to make a difference-to impact our society-to make this world a better place. On the inside of you right now, there are dreams and desires put there by the Creator of the universe. Don't let the pressures of life push those dreams down. Stir up those dreams. Stir up those gifts. Shake off every disappointment and press forward. This is a new day. Get a new vision. Make up your mind that no matter what comes your way, you're going to keep pressing forward. You're going to keep growing. You're going to keep learning. You're going to stay active. If you will stay passionate about life, knowing what your purpose is and being your best every day, you will find that you are living a way that generates such enthusiasm, that you are excited about life! Joel Osteen Mon, 04 Feb 2008 15:52:05 -0500 1016606 http://www.joelosteen.com Joel Osteen Fri, 01 Feb 2008 23:48:19 -0500 1015179 http://www.joelosteen.com 2008 Joel Osteen Ministries Joel Osteen Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:04:45 -0500 1000379 http://www.joelosteen.com David said in the Psalms, “Magnify the Lord with me.” When you magnify something, you don’t the size of it, you change your perspective about it. David was in effect saying, “Don’t magnify your problems. Magnify your God!” When you’re in tough times it’s good to look back over your life and remember all the things that God has brought you through. Remember the times God made a way when you didn’t see any way. Remember the times God protected you and supernaturally opened doors. This is what they did all throughout the Bible. When they had an adversity they’d say, “God, we remember how You fed us out in the wilderness. We remember how You parted the Red Sea. We remember how You protected us from our enemies.” They chose to keep the right perspective. And sometimes, it’s not easy when the storms of life are raging, but check yourself. What kind of attitude do you have towards adversity? Are you talking to God about how big your problems are? Or are you talking to your problems about how big your God is? Choose today to have the right perspective. Your challenge is temporary and your challenge is going to take you to a higher level. Everything that you’re facing is subject to change. God is still on the throne. He still has you in the palm of His hand. He promised that when you go through the fire, He'll bring you out without even having the smell of smoke. If you'll choose the right perspective by magnifying God and not your problems, He promised He'll fight your battles for you. He’ll turn every negative situation around. He’ll bring you out with the victory every single time! Joel Osteen Sat, 12 Jan 2008 22:32:02 -0500 982704 http://www.joelosteen.com Everyday there are opportunities in life to get upset and loose your joy and peace. There are many things that can steal your joy people, traffic, disappointments. But if you are going to live in victory you have to have to choose the right approach to life. It's good to have plans, but submit your plans to God and decide in advance to stay in peace no matter what happens. The Scripture says, "No man can take your joy." That means no person can make you be unhappy. No circumstance can force you to get upset. It's totally up to you. You have complete control of how peaceful and happy you want to live. When those inconveniences come, when your plans don't work out or when somebody irritates you, you can decide, "I am not going to get upset. I am not going to lose my joy. I have the power to stay in peace." Jesus put it this way in John 14:27, "Stop allowing yourself to be upset and disturbed." Notice it's a decision you have to make. Decide today to keep your joy and peace. Change your approach and believe that God is directing your steps. Believe that you are exactly where you're supposed to be. As you do, you'll keep your joy and you will experience God's blessing, and favor, and live the life of victory He has in store! Joel Osteen Sun, 06 Jan 2008 06:12:25 -0500 972164 http://www.joelosteen.com You are called to be an eagle that soars and does great things. But, throughout life there will always be a few crows crowing at you and trying to bring you down. Sometimes there will be a few hawks that try to argue with you, fight with you and distract you. Your job is to rise above all of those voices and strive towards your God-given calling. When the crow is pestering the eagle, the eagle simply flies up higher. He knows the crow cannot live at his altitude and he does not have to fight with the eagle. God made the eagle to spread his wings out, catch the thermal winds and soar higher than the crow. In the same way, when people mistreat you or when unfair things happen, if you’ll stay on the high road, then God will take care of the rest. Joel Osteen Mon, 31 Dec 2007 21:48:07 -0500 964043 http://www.joelosteen.com Joel Osteen Tue, 18 Dec 2007 12:56:14 -0500 943112 http://www.joelosteen.com Ephesians 2:10 says that “We are God’s masterpiece.” That means you are not average. You are not ordinary. You are one of a kind. When God created you He went to great lengths to make you exactly the way He wanted. You didn’t just happen to get your personality. You didn’t just accidentally get your nose, your skin color, your gifts or abilities. God designed you the way you are on purpose, for a purpose. The Apostle Paul said, “We should be to the praise of God’s glory.” In this passage, he’s not talking about giving God praise with our words, although that is important. He’s encouraging us to make our lives a living praise to Him! When you understand your value, and not only who you are but Whose you are, then your very existence will give God praise. When you are secure in who God made you, and you go out each day being your best, your life will give God praise. In other words, driving to work you’re giving God praise. Mowing the lawn you’re giving God praise. Going to the grocery store you’re giving God praise. Walking through the mall you’re giving God praise! Honor God today by accepting who you are. Make the decision to be the best you can be. Get up every morning and set your mind in the right direction by making positive affirmations over your life: “I’m the apple of God’s eye. I’m His masterpiece. His fingerprints are all over me.” If you will learn to accept and approve yourself and have a right opinion about who you are then you’re going to rise higher. God is going to pour out His blessings and you will live that life of victory that God has in store! Joel Osteen Mon, 10 Dec 2007 12:32:09 -0500 932394 http://www.joelosteen.com God has equipped each one of us with specific gifts and talents. When God made you He knew how high you could jump, how fast you could run, and how much you could accomplish. He put inside of you a specific set of skills and it’s up to you to not only to identify those gifts, but to be disciplined to develop those gifts. You have to learn to stay in your “strength zone.” What is your strength zone? It’s different for each person according to the gifts and abilities God has placed within. What are you naturally good at? What do you do well? Take the time to identify your strengths and weaknesses and as the Scripture says, give yourself to your gifts. In other words, don’t spend all your time trying to improve your weaknesses. Don’t waste valuable days pursuing things that are outside your main gifting. Focus on your strengths. There is something that you’re good at naturally�'something you can do that comes easy to you. If you have a gift of communication, you shouldn’t be sitting behind a desk all day not interacting with other people. Step out into your area of gifting. Are you good with your hands? Do you have a great voice? Find ways to develop those gifts. Know that your gift’s and talents are a part of your divine destiny. Remember, you are one of kind. If you will stay in your strength zone and develop your gifts, God has promised your gifts will make room for you. Tap into the potential inside of you. Stay focused and work on the things that you’re already good at. If you’ll be comfortable with who God made you, and thank Him for your unique giftings, you’ll not only enjoy your life more, but you’ll be ready to receive the abundant blessing God has in store for you! Joel Osteen Mon, 03 Dec 2007 20:04:06 -0500 921939 http://www.joelosteen.com Joel Osteen Sun, 25 Nov 2007 19:28:14 -0500 908350 http://www.joelosteen.com Have the words and opinions of other people caused you to water down your dreams? One of the most important things you can learn is that other people don’t set the limits for your life. Other people don’t have to believe in you in order for your dreams to come to pass. There will always be critics and naysayers. The negative voices come at everyone. But other people don’t determine your destiny, you do. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 3:3, “What if they don’t believe? Will their lack of faith make the faith of God of no effect?” This verse is saying, “It doesn’t matter if other people don’t believe. Their unbelief is not going to keep me from believing in my dreams.” When God puts a promise in your heart, it’s not up to other people to bring it to pass, it’s up to you! You don’t need everyone to validate you. You don’t need to get confirmation from all your friends. You have to follow the voice of God for yourself and allow Him to order your steps. God sees the hidden treasures that you’ve had buried on the inside of you. He wants to bring those treasures out and make your dreams reality! As you stir your faith up and water those seeds they will take root, and you will accomplish things that you never even thought possible! It doesn’t matter what negative things have been spoken over you in the past, God’s blessing is greater than any curse! Begin to speak words of life and faith over yourself. As you get rid of those old, defeated thoughts, and replace them with what God says about you, you will rise higher and live the abundant life God has in store for you! Joel Osteen Mon, 19 Nov 2007 03:04:23 -0500 898896 http://www.joelosteen.com God has equipped you with everything you need to fulfill your destiny. The Scripture tells us that as believers in Jesus Christ, we are anointed. The word “anointing” is the power of God which gives you courage, strength, and ability. That means you are well-able to do what He has called you to do. You can accomplish your goals. You have the ideas, the creativity and talent to be successful. You can overcome any obstacle! You’ve been armed with strength for every battle! The forces that are with you are greater than the forces that are against you! Being anointed means that you are fully equipped for everything God has called you to. God has already lined up the right people to come across your path. He’s already lined up the right breaks. You have everything you need to live a victorious life. You were created to excel! You have seeds of greatness on the inside of you. You may not have seen it in the past but if you’ll stay in faith it’s just a matter of time. It’s on its way. Don’t settle where you are. Don’t have weak, defeated mentality. No, put your shoulders back. Have the attitude, “I am anointed. I can accomplish my dreams. I can overcome any obstacle. I’ve been equipped and empowered by the Creator of the universe! I am fully equipped to live the abundant life God as in store!” Joel Osteen Sun, 11 Nov 2007 02:32:05 -0500 885400 http://www.joelosteen.com Joel Osteen Fri, 09 Nov 2007 18:20:25 -0500 884526 http://www.joelosteen.com God desires that you be so blessed that you can turn around and be a blessing everywhere you go! He wants you to have so much peace, so much joy, so much victory that when other people get around you it spills over onto them! In the book of Psalms, David said, “My cup runs over.” He was overflowing with the anointing�'the tangible, effective power of God. Too many people today have a barely-get-by-mentality. They settle for thoughts like, “I can barely pay my bills…I have an okay job…I have an okay marriage.” But Jesus came so we can live an abundant life! That means an abundance of joy, an abundance of peace, an abundance of health, an abundance of finances. You may not see it right now, and maybe you haven’t experienced it in the past, but don’t get complacent and just settle for where you are. Get a vision for your future! Get a vision for increase! Get a vision for Abundance! Psalm 35:27 says, “Let them say continually, ‘Let the Lord be magnified Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His children.’” God delights to see you prosperous and successful. When you choose to think God’s thoughts and choose God’s way, you’ll see that increase and victory in every area of your life. Now is the time to move forward and live the abundant life God has planned for you! Joel Osteen Sun, 28 Oct 2007 17:32:25 -0400 864972 http://www.joelosteen.com God has already released good things into your future. When God laid out the plan for your life, He lined up the right people, the right circumstances, and the right breaks. In your future, He's already released favor, supernatural opportunities, and divine connections. The breaks you need in life have already been preordained to come across your path. If you will stay in faith and go out each day and be a person of excellence, you'll walk into these appointments of favor. It will be just as if you stumbled into God's blessings! When you really understand this principal, you'll begin to get excited about every sing day! You'll have a spring in your step as you think about what blessing is coming next! It could be today. It could be tomorrow. It could be next week. Keep expecting. Keep believing. Stay focused on the fact that God has already released into your future everything you need to fulfill your destiny. Start declaring seasons of increase over your life. Declare that the favor is on you and opportunities are coming. As you do, you'll move forward into the favor and blessing God has ordered for you! Joel Osteen Mon, 15 Oct 2007 08:40:16 -0400 843390 http://www.joelosteen.com It’s easy to get stuck in a rut in life�'to stop expecting things to improve, to quit growing or pressing forward. That’s when negative thoughts come that say you’ve reached your limits, or you’re never going to accomplish your goals. But you don’t have to accept those lies. Our God is a God of increase. He never wants us to go backwards, only forward. Sure, there are seasons when you may not see a lot of growth. There are seasons when you have to dig your heels in and fight the good fight of faith. Stand and believe that no matter what’s come against you, no matter how unfair something was, things are shifting in your favor. Every setback is simply a setup for a comeback! God not only wants to bring you out, He wants to bring you out better off than you were before. Begin to declare this over your life today. Declare that you are walking into new seasons of increase, new seasons in your health, new seasons in your finances, new seasons in your relationships. This is your set time for favor. You may have been rejected in the past, but you’re going to be accepted in the future. You may have been pushed down in days gone by, but in this season, you’re going to be lifted up. God is going to make your enemies your footstools. Thank Him that your set time for favor is here. Thank Him that your hour of deliverance has come. As you do, you’ll rise out of mediocrity. You’ll defeat every enemy, overcome every obstacle, and you’ll live that life of victory God has in store! Joel Osteen Sun, 07 Oct 2007 08:13:20 -0400 829170 http://www.joelosteen.com God created you to be successful. Before the foundation of the world, He laid out an exact plan for your life. In this plan, He has marked moments that come across your path. These moments are not ordinary. They are destiny-altering moments. They are designed to thrust you years ahead. It says in Ecclesiastes 9:11 that “time and chance come together for every person.” That means you’ll have opportunities to meet the right people, opportunities to advance in your career, opportunities to fulfill your dreams. God has already pre-arranged times of increase and blessing. You may not be seeing a lot of breaks right now, but in your future, there are seasons of favor and increase. There are God-ordained moments that He’s already planned out for you. Don’t miss these moments! Don’t get distracted by the cares of this world, and don’t stop believing! If you’ll go out each day with an attitude of expectancy, you’ll rise higher and higher, and you will see more of God’s blessing and favor in your life. As you embrace those God-given opportunities, you will live the life of victory He has in store! Joel Osteen Sun, 30 Sep 2007 15:28:01 -0400 819577 http://www.joelosteen.com God has placed dreams and desires in each of our hearts. Are you believing for something that seems to be taking a long time? Are you tempted to quit? Maybe you’ve already given up on that dream. Today is a new day�'it’s time for you to get your fire back! It may be taking a long time, but God is faithful! He promises to complete the work He began in your life. Don’t fall into the temptation to get complacent and think it’s never going to happen. Right now, whether you see it or not, God is working behind the scenes and arranging things in your favor. When you develop an attitude of expectancy, you open the door to His miracle-working power in your life. Decide today to declare His Word and speak words of victory. Start declaring today, “My time is coming...God is working behind the scenes on my behalf…I will fulfill my destiny…I will fulfill the plan God has for my life!” As you declare and expect God to move, your faith will grow. Your hope will grow. Keep expecting and waiting for the appointed time. As you do, you’ll step into the victorious destiny God has planned for you! Joel Osteen Sat, 22 Sep 2007 14:52:12 -0400 807152 http://www.joelosteen.com Did you know that the quality of your relationships directly effect your happiness? You can have all the money in the world, you can have your health, you can have great opportunities in front of you, but if you don’t have good relationships you’re not going to enjoy your life very much. Most of the time, it’s not the big things that hold people back in relationships, it’s the small things. If you will be willing to make minor adjustments, very often, you’ll see major improvements. Study those around you and learn what they like and don’t like. Look for ways that you can improve your relationships. Maybe you can change your voice tones so people can receive from you more easily. Maybe you can become a better listener. Do your part to come up higher in this area. Take time to sow into the people that you really love. I believe if you’ll make some of these simple changes you’ll see major improvements. Your relationships will get better and better. You’ll have more peace, more joy, more harmony in your homes�'and you’ll live the life of victory that God has in store! Joel Osteen Wed, 19 Sep 2007 22:48:10 -0400 800130 Every day, the opportunity to get upset and offended presents itself. In the Bible, the word “offense” comes from the Greek word that means, “bait.” When you’re tempted to be offended, when someone is rude to you or inconsiderate, recognize that the enemy is offering you bait. He knows that if he can steal your peace, he can steal your victory. The good news is that you don’t have to take the bait! You don’t have to go around upset, bitter, and offended�'even when someone wrongs you. Keeping peace in your heart is more important than holding on to anger and bitterness. You can wake up every morning and decide to live free from offenses. You can choose to live in God’s peace. When offenses do come, learn to forgive quickly. Don’t allow the offense to take root in your heart. If you’ll do your part and keep your heart free from offenses, you’ll not only enjoy life more, but your relationships with others will improve. God will pour out His abundant blessing and favor in your life and you’ll live in freedom the way God intends! Joel Osteen Fri, 14 Sep 2007 14:32:03 -0400 790289 The people you choose to associate with and the people you choose as friends have tremendous impact on whether or not you fulfill your God-given destiny. You will become like the people you continually spend time with. If you associate with successful people, you increase your chances of being successful. If you associate with people who have a big vision, people who have big dreams, and people who are going places, they will inspire you to accomplish more than you ever thought possible! But remember, just the opposite is also true. If you hang around lazy, undisciplined people who are negative and critical, then their defeated mentality will affect you. That’s why it’s so important that you choose the right people to associate with. If you’ll be selective about whom you associate with, you will rise higher and higher. God will pour out His blessings and favor, and you’ll live the life of victory He has in store for you! Joel Osteen Wed, 29 Aug 2007 13:52:03 -0400 770120 http://www.joelosteen.com Your imagination is extremely powerful! God created you as a visual being. Choosing the right images in your mind’s eye is important because your life will move in the direction of your thoughts. Visualization is simply seeing yourself the way you want to be. It’s creating a picture in your mind of you accomplishing your goals, overcoming obstacles, and fulfilling your God-given destiny. The Bible says in Proverbs that “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” The way you see yourself in your mind’s eye, over time, will drop down into your heart. If you’ll create a picture in your imagination of something you want or a dream coming to pass and keep it in front of you, then you will move in that direction. Get up every morning and picture yourself succeeding! Picture yourself healthy and whole! Picture yourself and your family not only being blessed, but being a bigger blessing to others. If you’ll keep the right images in front of you and always submit them to the Lord through prayer and thanksgiving, God promises that nothing will be impossible to you! Joel Osteen Fri, 24 Aug 2007 05:40:02 -0400 758665 http://www.joelosteen.com Joel Osteen Thu, 16 Aug 2007 05:12:13 -0400 749035 Do you ever feel overburdened by the cares of this world or have days full of anxiety or stress? God wants to make your life easier. He wants you to be free and living each day full of peace. He wants to assist you and give you special advantages every single day. Isaiah 30:18 says, “ God earnestly longs to be gracious to you … to have mercy on you and show you His loving-kindness.” His grace, mercy and loving-kindness are all part of His favor. When you learn how to tap into God’s favor, you’ll have a tremendous advantage! God’s favor will cause you to be promoted even though you weren’t the most qualified. God’s favor will open a door for you that may not open for someone else. Endless advantages come when you learn to walk in God’s favor. Activate your faith in this area by declaring God’s favor in your life everyday. As you expect His favor, God will do unusual and extraordinary things in your life and you’ll live the life of victory that God has in store for you today! Joel Osteen Mon, 06 Aug 2007 20:40:05 -0400 735319 Everyone has things that would be considered in-completions: dreams that have not yet come to pass, promises that have not yet been fulfilled in our health, finances, or family. Maybe you’ve been praying and believing for something for many years. Don’t be tempted to think that it’s never going to happen. God desires to finish what He started in your life. The Scripture says in Philippians 1:6, “Be confident of this: He who began a good work in you will continue to perform it until it’s perfectly complete.” Be encouraged today because God is called the Author and the Finisher of your faith�'which means He’s constantly working behind the scenes in your life. Anything He began, any dream He put in your heart, He is well-able to finish. Stay in faith, guard your heart, and keep your hopes up! God has promised He will complete your in-completions! Joel Osteen Wed, 01 Aug 2007 12:20:14 -0400 725042 We all go through disappointments and setbacks. Sometimes relationships do not work out, a friend betrays you or you do not receive a promotion you deserve. When this happens, it can be easy to get discouraged, lose your joy and enthusiasm. But, even though life is not always fair, our God always is! He is a God of justice. He sees every wrong that's ever been done to you, every person that's ever hurt you and every unfair situation. The good news is as you stay faithful and not become bitter, God promises He will pay you back for every injustice. He will take what was meant for your harm and He'll turn it around and use it to your advantage. Let me encourage you today, that as you choose the right attitude and give God the glory through every circumstance, He will not only bring you out, He'll bring you out better than you were before. Joel Osteen Tue, 03 Jul 2007 00:53:27 -0400 700944 When you look at situations in your life that you want to change or dreams that you want to come to pass, you probably begin putting together a plan to make it happen. But, if you're not careful, you can put God in a box and tell Him how, when and where to achieve those dreams. The Scripture says in Isaiah 55, \"God's ways are not our ways. They are higher and better than our ways.\" Instead of trying to make your plan work, remember that God already has a better way mapped out. Begin to trust God and know that He has your best interests in mind. And, even when things don't seem to be going according to your plan, stay open and believe that He is directing your steps. Joel Osteen Wed, 27 Jun 2007 16:33:35 -0400 693140 Lisa Comes Sat, 23 Jun 2007 16:03:42 -0400 688358 Ecclesiastes says, \"Give yourself to what you are doing.\" In other words, don't live in the past or worry about the future. Instead, focus on what you are doing right now and learn to appreciate what God has given you. When you wake up in the morning, pause a few minutes to watch the sun coming over the horizon. When you hear the little footsteps of your children coming down the stairs, take it in and let it bring a smile to your face. When you receive a call from a friend, give them your full attention. If you approach your days by living in the moment, then you can transform every ordinary day into a masterpiece. Joel Osteen Tue, 19 Jun 2007 15:43:32 -0400 681058 Marcos Witt Thu, 14 Jun 2007 23:13:12 -0400 674605 Do you ever become complacent in your thinking and find yourself saying things like, \"I'm just a regular guy, I'm just a businessman, I'm just a schoolteacher. I'm just a stay at home mom ... I'll never do anything significant.\" But, do you know that you are not JUST anything? The Bible says that you are a child of the Most High God. You have seeds of greatness on the inside. The Lord is constantly trying to help you discover who you are and to know all that you can accomplish with His supernatural strength. He desires for you to acheive great things and grow into your full potential. When you get a vision for your life and begin seeing yourself the way God sees you, you will live a life worth remembering. Joel Osteen Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:03:31 -0400 672043 God's power is limited by only one thing: Your way of thinking. When we are worried, negative, or discouraged, it shows a lack of faith. The children of Israel were guilty of it. They saw first-hand his miracles but still questioned God when they were in the wilderness. Stir up your faith today and get out of that rut! It's time to stop thinking about what you can't do and start thinking about what God can do. No matter what you need, never ask, \"Can God?\" God can and God will. When you truly believe this, and keep an attitude of faith, you'll be at peace and expecting all of the good things that you inherit as God's child. Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 10:01:41 -0400 130247 God's power is limited by only one thing: Your way of thinking. When we are worried, negative, or discouraged, it shows a lack of faith. The children of Israel were guilty of it. They saw first-hand his miracles but still questioned God when they were in the wilderness. Stir up your faith today and get out of that rut! It's time to stop thinking about what you can't do and start thinking about what God can do. No matter what you need, never ask, \"Can God?\" God can and God will. When you truly believe this, and keep an attitude of faith, you'll be at peace and expecting all of the good things that you inherit as God's child. Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 10:01:41 -0400 137587 Your will is stronger than your emotions. Instead of living by how you feel, live by what you know. Let me remind you that God is in control, He has a great plan for your life, and His power is greater than any other power. When you begin to have negative or discouraging feelings, shake them off. Even when you do not feel like it, choose to rule over that negative feeling anyway. Tell yourself: I'm going to be steady, immovable, and full of joy regardless of my circumstances. The more you do so, the easier it will become. Today, decide to be a more stable person and begin enjoying life - all of it! Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 10:01:41 -0400 143142 Your physical body is not only the house you live in; it's the house God lives in. When you treat your body--the one He made in His image--as valuable, you honor God. The scriptures talk about staying fit, sleeping well and even eating the right foods. How you take care of yourself physically has a great impact on your overall well-being. When you make changes for your health's sake, you'll live longer, live healthier, and experience the abundant life that God has in store for you! Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 10:01:41 -0400 150479 Do you remember the old saying; "You are what you eat"? Well in many ways that is true in every area of our life, spiritually, emotionally and physically. You can make changes in your diet today that will help you live a stronger and healthier tomorrow. The reason you may lack energy or deal with aches and pains could be the result of the foods you eat. Many times a small change will make a big difference. You can choose water over sodas, a walk around the block over watching TV and more nutritious snacks over junk food. Make the commitment today to honor God by taking care of His temple - your body! When you do, you'll look better and feel better. You'll be happier, healthier, and have the energy to do the things that God has uniquely called you to do. Religion & Spirituality Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 10:01:41 -0400 157316 There's nothing like a good self-image based on healthy lifestyle choices and the confidence that comes from knowing you are accepted by the most important person of all, God! For many people, eating right, exercising, and avoiding the impulse to snack is a real challenge. If you're one of those people - or have a friend or family member who has that struggle - God wants you to have victory over your diet just like He wants you to succeed in every area of life. He will help you! Stay focused on the rewards: When you are at your ideal weight-not supermodel thin, but a weight that's realistically right for you--you will live healthier, stronger, and happier, with a better attitude. That's the life that God intended for you! Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 10:01:41 -0400 170431 Pastor Joel Osteen and Lakewood Church Sat, 02 Jun 2007 10:01:41 -0400185161 God's great plan for each of our lives is that we continually rise to new levels. We can grow to new heights by listening and being obedient to His Word. Ask the Lord if there are areas in your life that keep you from experiencing the very best He has for you. Then, listen carefully to see what changes He may be asking you to make. As you live according to His Word He will pour out blessings and favor in your life and He will take you places that you've never even dreamed of. Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 10:01:41 -0400 185360 You and God are a majority! Instead of looking at what you cannot do, begin to look at what God can do. All Moses had was a rod and God used it to part the Red Sea. All David had was a slingshot and God used it to defeat Goliath. All one little boy had was a fish and a few loaves of bread and God used it to feed thousands. When we come to the end of our natural ability, that's when God's supernatural ability kicks in. Take your eyes of your circumstances and focus on the One that can turn everything around. If you want to see God take you to places you've never dreamed of and if you want to see him work supernaturally in your life, then you need to step out of your comfort zone. Dare to take a step of faith and follow God where He is leading you. Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 10:01:41 -0400 199459 2006-09-08 06:00:00 Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 10:01:41 -0400 216310 Too many people go around feeling bad because they are listening to the wrong voices. The enemy is called the accuser of the brethren and there is nothing he would like more than for you to live your life feeling guilty and condemned. Don't make the mistake of receiving these accusations. The Apostle Paul said, "The things I know I should do, I don't. The things I know I shouldn't do, I end up doing." Even he struggled in this area and he wrote more than half of the New Testament! God is not displeased with you just because you don't perform perfectly one hundred percent of the time. When you go through setbacks in life, choose to receive God's mercy. Let go of the past and press forward with joy, confidence, and purpose. Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 10:01:41 -0400 228578 One of the greatest attacks we face in the 21st Century is the attack on our homes. We need to stand up and fight for our families. To do that, we have to first commit our families to God, and then commit to our spouse to stay together. As parents, our children's future relies on the character they see in us. Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 10:01:41 -0400 260178 Not only did Jesus die for our sins, but He also died so that we may live abundantly. Too many people go around with a weak defeated mentality. Instead, we need to understand the power of our covenant relationship with God means we have His protection, wisdom and favor. Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 10:01:41 -0400 406706 God has given you the potential for greatness. When life is unfair and pushes you down, you have to get back up, brush yourself off and let the past be the past. Then you can give new life to the dreams God has put in your heart. Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 10:01:41 -0400 417824 The words respect, honor, duty, integrity - we don't hear them much anymore. The Bible says, "He who pursues righteousness and loyalty finds life." We need to learn to be loyal to our spouse, to our family, our friends and even to our country. When we honor them with our loyalty, God will honor and bless us. Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 10:01:41 -0400 457192 You have the potential for greatness on the inside of you, but you will never rise above the image you have of yourself. When you start speaking words of victory, the power of those words will produce a new image in your mind and allow you to go even higher. Use your words to bless your life! Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 10:01:40 -0400 105907 Are there people in your life that you just can't make happy? You are not responsible for other people's happiness. While we should be givers, we shouldn't allow others to control us. Learn to set boundaries in your relationships so you can be all that God intended you to be. Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 10:01:40 -0400 111004 Joel Osteen Our memory has incredible power! The Bible clearly speaks to us about the best way we are to think of our past. When we use our memories for the right purposes it builds up our faith and brings hope to our lives. Scripture never tells us to dwell on our disappointments, to focus on our pains, or to think on our failures. Instead, God's Word encourages us again and again that we are to remember all of the great things that God has done for us. Let me encourage you to think back and remind yourself of all the victories God has led you to-a loving marriage, a good job, healthy children, an encouraging friend. Think on these things. Take time every day to thank God for all the good that is in your life-write them down and keep a record. Stop looking back to the pains of your past, and begin looking forward to the opportunities of your future. Because, as the Psalmist states, as we delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our hearts. Sat, 02 Jun 2007 10:01:40 -0400 121971 God has a bright future for you! If the curtain were pulled back today so that you could look into His plans and desires for your life, you would see God opening doors to bring new opportunities across your path and His preparations for clearing away any obstacles that might hold you back. Jeremiah 29:11 is clear that God has a plan and a future for you, so let me encourage you today to turn your desires and plans over to God and say, \"I'm trusting You. I believe that You're in control and even though I may not see anything happening today, I believe You're working in my life.\" When you put your trust in God and allow Him to be in complete control, you'll have a life filled with greater peace, hope and the confidence that everything is going to be all right. Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:36:13 -0400 248407 A Leadership Moment with Marcos Witt was taught at the 2006 Lakewood Church Leaders in Ministry Conference. Lakewood Church Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:36:11 -0400 274800 Ephesians 5:18 says to If you knew God was preparing to turn around a situation you're worrying about right now, then you would probably let out a big sigh of relief. You would relax and let go of all the pressure. Why don't you go ahead and do that now? Turn it completely over to God and stop trying to figure it all out. David said, \"I was young and now I'm old and I have never seen the righteous forsaken.\" Let God take care of it His way and He'll not only bring you out, but He'll bring you out better than you were before! Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:36:07 -0400 274801 God is interested in every area of your life. Not just the big things, but the smaller things as well. God wants to help you be more productive at the office, help you raise your children, give you favor with your clients and protect you on the freeway. The key is that God will only be involved in as much of your life as you allow Him to be involved in. Proverbs 3:6 says to "...acknowledge God in all your ways." If you do this, then He will guide and direct your path. Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:36:07 -0400 274802 Too often, when we have a need, we focus on it. It's all we talk about, all we think about. My problems, my bills, my health, my hurt, my pains. Rather than turning inward, we need to turn outward. If you're in tough times today, don't sit around depressed, go help somebody else. If you want God to solve your problems, go help solve somebody else's problems. Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:36:02 -0400 381350 Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:36:01 -0400 434791 Everybody wants to make good choices. Should you take that new job? Should you go further in this relationship? How should you deal with a particular problem? But to make the best choices we need God's wisdom. Someone once said, \"You make your decisions and then your decisions make you.\" If you allow your choices to be guided by the wisdom of God, the direction you get from reading His Word and spending time in prayer, then you're going to experience true success. I have good news for you today! God wants to give you wisdom. Proverbs says that He will help you find the right course of action every time. Not some of the time; all of the time. Take time each day to listen to what God is saying to you. As you do, you'll make better decisions and you'll live the life of victory that God has in-store for you. Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:36:01 -0400 381351 We all have dreams and desires that we believe God will help to come to pass. These dreams are like seeds planted in the soil of our hearts and most of the time, they do not bloom overnight. Often, there is a period of waiting involved and this is when it is so easy to give up, become discouraged and to settle for mediocrity. But God never gives up on a dream. Once the seed is planted and the promise takes root, we may give up, but the seed is still in us. If you'll stir your faith up and start believing once again, then God can begin bring it to pass. Every time you give God praise, keep pressing on or have a smile on your face, you will water that seed. And if you do this, you'll allow God to give birth to your dreams and you'll live the life of victory He has in store. Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:36:01 -0400 439725 God has placed dreams and desires in your heart. You may have promises that you're standing on, things that you believe will come to pass, and you're waiting for your dreams to be fulfilled. James 5:7 says, \"Be patient as you wait see how the farmer waits expectantly.\" Maybe you're waiting for a relationship to improve, waiting to get married or waiting for a promotion. As you do so, wait with expectancy. Instead of becoming discouraged or negative while you wait, begin expecting for God straighten out your path for your dream to come true. Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:36:01 -0400 400787 We all have good intentions. We may want to give up an addiction, a bad attitude or being impatient and do what we know is right. But, it's not enough to simply have the desire to do something. Matthew 26:41 says, \"The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Pray that you don't come into the temptation.\" One of the keys to controlling your weaknesses and overcoming temptations is to learn to pray so that you will become strong in your weakest areas. Ask God to help you with your temper, your thought life and your relationships with others. If you do, God will give you the strength you need to overcome any obstacle! Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:35:59 -0400 479942 It’s important to develop good habits in life. A habit is something that you do without thinking about it and you may do it for so long that it almost becomes involuntary. Studies say that ninety percent of your normal behavior is based on your habits. For example, you have habits that determine how you treat people, how you spend money, what you watch and what you listen to. Some people have developed habits that are keeping them from God’s best. But, you can learn how to develop God honoring habits that will help you live the kind of life that God intended. Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:35:42 -0400 478945 How you begin your day usually determines the kind of day you experience. If you begin your day in a hurry, rushing from one task to another or stressed out, often you will become uptight and stay on the edge the rest of the day. In the Bible, David says, \"Early in the morning, my song will rise to You.\" If you're going to be your best and live life to the full, then God needs to receive the first part of your day. Before the stress and busyness comes, before you read the newspaper and before you think about all you have to do, take time to thank God for His goodness. Read the Scriptures, meditate on His promises and speak words of victory over your life. When you do this, you're giving God your first fruits and he'll walk with you the rest of the day! Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:35:41 -0400 497021 http://www.joelosteen.com Everyone has times in life when they receive criticism from others. Someone may be talking about you, trying to make you look bad or blowing things out of proportion. Don’t sink down to their level, become defensive and try to prove that you are right and they are wrong. When you encounter criticism, shake it off and let it go. This is what Jesus told his disciples. He sent them out to different towns to teach people and care for their needs, but Jesus knew they would suffer rejection. In Matthew 10:14, Jesus said, “When you go into a town, whoever will not receive and welcome your message, when you leave that place, shake the dust off of your feet.” In other words, let God be your vindicator. Everyone will not understand you or accept you so just run your race and stay focused on what God has called you to do. Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:35:36 -0400 520582 Too often we expect the people in our lives to perform perfectly, to never disappoint us and to always be there for us. But no one is perfect and those are unrealistic expectations. There is no such thing as the perfect spouse, boss or friend. No matter how much others love you or how good they are, at some point, they are going to disappoint you or hurt your feelings. Instead of becoming resentful or bitter when others do not measure up, give them grace and understand that it is simply a part of life. Romans 12:16 says that we need to \"adapt and adjust in order to keep the peace.\" If you'll have the right expectations in your relationships and give others mercy, your relationships will begin to grow and God will honor you for doing your part. Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:35:34 -0400 533503 http://www.joelosteen.com When God places dreams and desires in your heart, He also begins lining up the people you need to help bring those dreams to pass. In Acts 9, God supernaturally turned the apostle Paul’s life around and gave him a message to share with others. But, because of his past, nobody would have anything to do with him. God brought Barnabas across Paul’s path and they developed a friendship. When Barnabas spread the news that Paul should be trusted, people began to accept him and listen to his message. Paul went on to spread the Good News of the Gospel throughout the world and He wrote half the New Testament. God knows who you need to know. Begin to believe that He is in control. He will place the right people in your life at the right time. He will give you divine connections. Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:35:18 -0400 539833 God has a certain place where you are going to thrive under His blessings. He has a company picked out for you, a special neighborhood for you to live in and specific friends for you to be around. In the book of Acts, Jesus instructed five hundred people to go to the upper room to wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit, but only one hundred and twenty showed up. Although many had the opportunity, only a small group was in the right location. Don't miss out on you're opportunity for a blessing. Pay close attention to where you are, who your with and the places you are going. Ask yourself, \"Is this where God is guiding me to be?\" Then, move where the Holy Spirit leads you and you'll find God's best in your life. Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:35:16 -0400 561938 Do you know that you have a God-given destiny? You are not an accident. God ordained before the foundation of the world that you would be here at this particular time. Jeremiah 29:11 says, \"These are the plans I have for you,' says the Lord, 'Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.\" All through Scripture, you can read how God had a specific plan and purpose for each person's life. He told Elizabeth that she would give birth to John and that he would pave the way for Christ. He told Samson's mother that she was going to have a baby and gave her a specific plan for his life. In the same way, God began thinking about you long ago. He was planning out good things for your life, where you would be, what assignment you would have and the opportunities to bring across your path. As you continue to put your faith and hope in the Lord, there is nothing that can keep you from becoming all that God created you to be. You have a bright future ahead! Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:35:15 -0400 576601 http://www.lakewood.cc Too many people are sitting on the sidelines of life with no enthusiasm towards their future because they have made mistakes and experienced some setbacks. But, God is not looking for perfect people. If He were, we would all be disqualified. God is looking for people that have a heart that's right toward Him. If you have a heart that is seeking God and you wake up each day striving to do your best, then you do not have to live guilty and condemned. When those old thoughts come to mind saying, \"You don't deserve God's blessings,\" just respond with, \"You're exactly right. I know I don't deserve it, but that's what God's mercy is all about.\" The goodness of God will make miracles out of all your mistakes. Joel Osteen Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:35:11 -0400 587789 http://www.lakewood.cc God wants you to burn up without burning out through supernatural living. Acts 1:8 says, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses." When you begin to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit, you're character will become more like Jesus' character. You'll talk like Him, think like Him, and act like Him. Let your life be changed by His consuming fire and live the life God always intended for you to live. Marcos Witt Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:35:08 -0400 587790 No matter what challenges you are facing today, know that God has armed you with strength for the battle. Philippians 4:13 says, \"I have strength for all things through Christ who empowers me. I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me.\" You may have received bad news concerning your health, having difficulties in your marriage or it may look like one of your dreams has died, but don't give up and settle for m