I BELIEVE YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE SOME DOORS THAT HAVE BEEN CLOSED FOR A LONG TIME SUDDENLY OPEN. YOU CAN'T EXPLAIN IT, YOU DIDN'T SEE IT COMING, BUT SUDDENLY YOUR HEALTH IMPROVES. SUDDENLY YOU MEET THE RIGHT PERSON. SUDDENLY YOUR CAREER TAKES OFF. WHAT HAPPENED? THE DOORKEEPER STEPPED IN. GET READY FOR SOME OPEN DOORS. [MUSIC] JOEL OSTEEN: GOD 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 OUR SERVICE. I'LL PROMISE YA, WE'LL MAKE YA FEEL RIGHT AT HOME. THESE ARE THE FINEST PEOPLE IN ALL OF HOUSTON, TEXAS RIGHT HERE AT LAKEWOOD, BUT THANKS FOR BEING WITH US TODAY. I LIKE TO START WITH SOMETHING FUNNY, AND I HEARD ABOUT THESE THREE ASPIRING PSYCHIATRISTS, WILLIAM, JULIE, AND BUBBA. THEY WERE TAKING THEIR FIRST TEST ON EMOTIONAL EXTREMES. THE PROFESSOR ASKED WILLIAM, "WHAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF SADNESS?" HE REPLIED, "HAPPINESS." THE PROFESSOR ASKED JULIE, "WHAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF DEPRESSION?" SHE REPLIED, "JOY." THE PROFESSOR ASKED BUBBA, "WHAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF WOE?" W-O-E. BUBBA LOOKED KIND OF PUZZLED. AFTER A LONG PAUSE, HE REPLIED, "GIDDY UP!" 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'S NAME, GOD BLESS YOU. I WANT TO TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT HOW CLOSED DOORS CAN'T STOP YOU. WE'VE ALL HAD TIMES WHERE SOMETHING DIDN'T WORK OUT. WE DIDN'T GET THE PROMOTION, THE LOAN DIDN'T GO THROUGH, A RELATIONSHIP DIDN'T MAKE IT. WE DID OUR BEST, WE PRAYED, WE BELIEVED, BUT THE DOOR DIDN'T OPEN. I TALKED TO A YOUNG MAN THAT'S BELIEVING TO GET INTO MEDICAL SCHOOL. HE'S FINISHED HIS UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES AND DID VERY WELL. HE'S APPLIED TO 40 DIFFERENT COLLEGES, BUT NONE OF THEM HAVE SAID YES. HE WAS SO DISCOURAGED THINKING THAT IT WASN'T MEANT TO BE, BUT GOD WOULDN'T HAVE ALLOWED THE DOOR TO CLOSE IF IT WAS GOING TO KEEP YOU FROM YOUR DESTINY. WE MAY NOT SEE HOW IT COULD WORK OUT, BUT GOD HASN'T RUN OUT OF OPTIONS. HE'S NOT AT A LOSS AT HOW TO TURN YOUR SITUATION AROUND. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS GOD OPENS DOORS THAT NO MAN CAN SHUT, AND HE SHUTS DOORS THAT NO MAN CAN OPEN. HERE'S THE KEY. GOD IS YOUR DOORKEEPER. PEOPLE CAN'T KEEP YOU FROM YOUR PURPOSE. OBSTACLES CAN'T STOP WHAT GOD HAS ORDAINED FOR YOU. YOU MAY FEEL LIKE YOU'RE BEHIND A CLOSED DOOR. IN YOUR HEALTH, YOU CAN'T SEEM TO GET WELL. IN YOUR CAREER, YOU'RE WORKING HARD BUT NOT GETTING AHEAD. IN A RELATIONSHIP, THINGS KEEP FALLING THROUGH. STAY ENCOURAGED, THOSE CLOSED DOORS ARE NOT PERMANENT. THE ENEMY DOESN'T CONTROL YOUR DOORS. PEOPLE DON'T CONTROL YOUR DOORS. FEAR, ADDICTION, DEPRESSION DON'T CONTROL YOUR DOORS. THE MOST HIGH GOD IS YOUR DOORKEEPER. HE CONTROLS WHAT OPENS AND WHAT CLOSES. I BELIEVE YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE SOME DOORS THAT HAVE BEEN CLOSED FOR A LONG TIME SUDDENLY OPEN. YOU CAN'T EXPLAIN IT, YOU DIDN'T SEE IT COMING, BUT SUDDENLY YOUR HEALTH IMPROVES. SUDDENLY YOU MEET THE RIGHT PERSON. SUDDENLY YOUR CAREER TAKES OFF. WHAT HAPPENED? THE DOORKEEPER STEPPED IN. GET READY FOR SOME OPEN DOORS. JOHN CHAPTER 20, JESUS HAD JUST BEEN CRUCIFIED AND RISEN FROM THE DEAD. ONE EVENING, THE DISCIPLES WERE IN A ROOM TOGETHER. THEY HAD LOCKED THE DOOR TO MAKE SURE NO ONE GOT IN. THEY HAD SEEN HOW THE PEOPLE TREATED JESUS, HOW AGAINST HIM THEY WERE. NOW THEY WERE AFRAID THAT THOSE SAME LEADERS WOULD COME AND ARREST THEM. I CAN SEE THEM DEAD BOLT THE DOOR. SOMEBODY SAYS, "ARE YOU SURE IT'S LOCKED? GO BACK AND DOUBLE CHECK." THEY DID EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO KEEP PEOPLE OUT. BUT WHILE THEY WERE MEETING, THE SCRIPTURE SAYS JESUS APPEARED UNTO THEM. I CAN IMAGINE JESUS CAME TO THE DOOR AND IT WAS LOCKED. HE KNOCKED AND KNOCKED, BUT THEY WOULDN'T ANSWER IT. THEY WERE SO AFRAID AND ON EDGE, WONDERING WHO IT WAS. ALL OF THE SUDDEN, JESUS CAME THROUGH THE DOOR. HE DIDN'T OPEN IT. HE DIDN'T UNLOCK IT. HE DIDN'T TRY TO BEAT IT DOWN. HE CAME THROUGH IT. GOD WAS SHOWING US CLOSED DOORS CAN'T STOP HIM. LOCKED DOORS CANNOT KEEP YOU FROM WHAT GOD HAS FOR YOU. NOW, PEOPLE MAY HAVE CLOSED THE DOOR, TRIED TO KEEP YOU FROM PROMOTION. HOW YOU WERE RAISED MAY HAVE SHUT THE DOOR. YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE AT A DISADVANTAGE. FORCES OF DARKNESS MAY HAVE LOCKED THE DOOR, TRIED TO KEEP YOU FROM YOUR HEALING, FROM YOUR FREEDOM. IT'S BEEN THAT WAY A LONG TIME. FEELS LIKE THE DOOR IS NOT ONLY SHUT, BUT IT'S LOCKED, DEAD-BOLTED. THE GOOD NEWS IS GOD DOESN'T HAVE TO OPEN THE DOOR, HE CAN COME THROUGH IT. HE'S NOT LIMITED BY WHAT'S LIMITING US. WE'RE NATURAL, HE'S SUPERNATURAL. YOU NEED TO GET YOUR FIRE BACK. CLOSED DOORS CAN'T STOP YOU. LOCKED DOORS CANNOT KEEP YOU FROM YOUR DESTINY. GOD IS NOT RESTRICTED BY WHAT'S HOLDING YOU BACK. HE'S NOT HOPING SOMEONE WILL OPEN THE DOOR, HOPING SOMEONE WILL LET HIM IN. HE DOESN'T NEED PERMISSION. HE CONTROLS THE UNIVERSE. THE MEDICAL REPORT MAY SAY THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET WELL. IT LOOKS LIKE THAT DOOR IS PERMANENTLY CLOSED. GET READY, GOD IS ABOUT TO COME THROUGH THE DOOR. IT'S GOING TO BE UNUSUAL, OUT OF THE ORDINARY, A SUPERNATURAL HEALING. MAY SEEM LIKE THE DOOR HAS CLOSED ON YOUR DREAMS. YOU'LL NEVER GET INTO COLLEGE, NEVER MEET THE RIGHT PERSON, NEVER HAVE THAT BABY. EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE SAYS IT'S TOO LATE. THAT DOOR IS LOCKED. IT'S NEVER GOING TO OPEN. JUST SMILE AND SAY, "IT DOESN'T HAVE TO OPEN. FATHER, THANK YOU THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO COME THROUGH THE DOOR. THANK YOU THAT YOU'RE MAKING A WAY WHERE I DON'T SEE A WAY. THANK YOU THAT CLOSED DOORS CAN'T STOP WHAT YOU HAVE FOR ME." AND SOME OF THE DOORS THAT HAVE BEEN CLOSED FOR A LONG TIME, YOU NEED TO GET READY, GOD IS ABOUT TO SHOW OUT IN YOUR LIFE. ONE TOUCH OF HIS FAVOR, ONE GOOD BREAK, ONE CONTRACT, ONE HEALING, MEETING ONE RIGHT PERSON, WILL CATAPULT YOU TO A NEW LEVEL. WHAT I LOVE IS EVEN WHEN WE LOCK THE DOOR, LIKE THE DISCIPLES, EVEN WHEN WE LET FEAR, INSECURITY, INTIMIDATION CAUSE US TO SHRINK BACK, GOD SAYS, "THAT'S NO PROBLEM FOR ME. FEAR CAN'T KEEP ME OUT. DEPRESSION CAN'T STOP WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU. LIMITED THINKING CAN'T HOLD ME BACK." GOD OVERRIDES EVERY NEGATIVE FORCE. YOU MAY HAVE LOCKED THE DOOR, BUT AT THE RIGHT TIME, GOD IS GOING TO COME THROUGH THE DOOR. HE'S NOT GOING TO LET YOU MISS YOUR DESTINY. WHEN I CAME BACK FROM COLLEGE, I WORKED BEHIND THE SCENES HERE AT LAKEWOOD, DOING THE TELEVISION PRODUCTION. I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT I WOULD DO THE REST OF MY LIFE. I LIKED BEING IN THE BACKGROUND. I'M NATURALLY MORE QUIET AND RESERVED. BUT MANY TIMES, MY FATHER TRIED TO GET ME UP TO SPEAK. HE'D SAY, "JOEL, YOU'D BE A GREAT PASTOR. WHY DON'T YOU SPEAK FOR ME SOMETIME?" I DIDN'T WANT TO GET UP IN FRONT OF PEOPLE. I WAS AFRAID AND INTIMIDATED. I NOT ONLY SHUT THE DOOR, I MADE SURE IT WAS DEAD-BOLTED, PUT A COUPLE CHAINS ON IT. FOR 17 YEARS, I MADE SURE THAT DOOR WAS SECURELY LOCKED. BUT WHEN MY FATHER WENT TO BE WITH THE LORD, GOD DIDN'T KNOCK ON THE DOOR TO SEE IF I WOULD OPEN IT. HE DIDN'T ASK ME FOR PERMISSION. HE DIDN'T CHECK TO SEE IF IT WAS UNLOCKED. HE CAME THROUGH THE DOOR. ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HAD THE DESIRE TO STEP UP AND PASTOR THE CHURCH. EVEN THOUGH I WAS STILL AFRAID, I FELT A STRENGTH, A COURAGE, A BOLDNESS. DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO MY MIND. HOW COULD I STEP UP TO SPEAK? I DIDN'T HAVE THE TRAINING, THE EXPERIENCE. THOUGHTS TOLD ME IT WOULD NEVER WORK OUT, BUT DOWN IN MY SPIRIT, I FELT THIS BOLDNESS SAYING, "I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST. I AM STRONG IN THE LORD." IF GOD HAD WAITED FOR ME TO OPEN THE DOOR, HE'D STILL BE WAITING. GOD IS SO GOOD, EVEN WHEN WE CLOSE THE DOOR, EVEN WHEN WE THINK OF ALL THE REASONS WHY IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK OUT, WHY WE CAN'T STEP UP AND LEAD THE DEPARTMENT, WHY WE CAN'T GET WELL, AT THE RIGHT TIME, GOD'S GOING TO COME THROUGH THAT DOOR AND THRUST YOU INTO YOUR DESTINY. LIKE ME, YOU MAY HAVE LOCKED SOME DOORS BECAUSE OF FEAR. YOU FEEL UNQUALIFIED, LIKE YOU DON'T HAVE THE TRAINING, THE EXPERIENCE, OR BECAUSE OF MISTAKES YOU'VE MADE, THINGS HAVEN'T WORKED OUT. NOW YOU'VE GONE YEARS WITH THAT DOOR LOCKED, THINKING IT COULD NEVER HAPPEN. NO, YOUR TIME IS COMING. GOD WOULDN'T HAVE GIVEN YOU THAT OPPORTUNITY IF YOU WERE NOT WELL ABLE. THE FEAR MAY NOT TOTALLY GO AWAY, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO FEEL A BOLDNESS RISING UP. THAT'S THE MOST HIGH GOD BREATHING IN YOUR DIRECTION. HE'S ABOUT TO TAKE YOU WHERE YOU CAN'T GO ON YOUR OWN. THOSE DOORS YOU LOCKED DIDN'T STOP YOUR DESTINY. GOD IS NOT GOING TO LET FEAR HOLD YOU BACK. HE'S NOT GOING TO LET NEGATIVE WORDS PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN OVER YOU TO KEEP YOU LOCKED IN. HE'S NOT GOING TO LET HOW YOU WERE RAISED, WHAT YOU DIDN'T GET, TO KEEP YOU FROM BECOMING WHO YOU WERE CREATED TO BE. NOW, DON'T BE SURPRISED WHEN DOORS OPEN FOR YOU THAT YOU TRIED TO KEEP SHUT. I DIDN'T THINK I COULD DO THIS, BUT GOD SAW SOMETHING IN ME THAT I COULDN'T SEE. GOD SEES POTENTIAL IN YOU. HE SEES SEEDS OF GREATNESS THAT YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE IN YOURSELF. HE'S GOING TO PRESENT YOU WITH OPPORTUNITIES THAT SEEM WAY OVER YOUR HEAD. DON'T SHRINK BACK, YOU ARE WELL ABLE. HE'S GOING TO BRING DIVINE CONNECTIONS ACROSS YOUR PATH. YOU THOUGHT YOU WOULD ALWAYS BE SINGLE. YOU'VE ALREADY SHUT THAT DOOR, CONVINCED YOURSELF YOU'LL NEVER MEET ANYONE. GOD IS GOING TO COME THROUGH THE DOOR THAT YOU CLOSED AND BRING SOMEONE BETTER THAN YOU'VE EVER DREAMED. I THINK ABOUT HOW MANY TIMES I'VE CLOSED THE DOOR. I DIDN'T THINK SOMETHING WOULD WORK OUT AND GOD CAME THROUGH MY DOUBT, THROUGH MY FEAR, THROUGH WHAT I THOUGHT WAS IMPOSSIBLE. WHEN WE WANTED TO BUILD A NEW AUDITORIUM, TWICE THE LAND WE FOUND WAS SOLD OUT FROM UNDER US. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, I WAS CERTAIN THAT WAS THE ENEMY TRYING TO TAKE OUR PROPERTY. I KEPT PRAYING, BELIEVING, HOPING. THREE MONTHS LATER, THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I COULD UNDERSTAND IT ONCE, BUT WHAT WERE THE CHANCES OF THAT HAPPENING TWICE? I THOUGHT, "IT'S NOT MEANT TO BE. LET'S JUST STAY WHERE WE ARE." I CLOSED THE DOOR, SIX MONTHS LATER, THE COMPAQ CENTER CAME AVAILABLE. GOD IS GOING TO COME THROUGH DOORS THAT YOU CLOSED. YOU MAY THINK YOU'RE TOO OLD TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR DREAM. CAN I TELL YOU, IT'S ON THE WAY. YOU THINK IT'S TOO LATE TO START YOUR BUSINESS. IT'S ON THE WAY. YOU THINK YOU'LL NEVER LIVE IN THAT NICE HOUSE. LAST TIME YOU TRIED, IT DIDN'T WORK OUT. IT'S ON THE WAY. YOU DON'T THINK YOU'LL EVER GET WELL. YOU'VE LEARNED TO LIVE WITH THE SICKNESS. THE GOOD NEWS IS HEALING IS HEADED YOUR WAY. YOU MAY HAVE CLOSED THE DOOR, BUT GOD DOESN'T HOLD THAT AGAINST YOU. HE'S ABOUT TO COME THROUGH THE DOOR AND DO SOMETHING BETTER THAN YOU'VE EVER IMAGINED. THE ISRAELITES HAD BEEN IN SLAVERY FOR MANY YEARS. MOSES WENT TO THE PHARAOH AND TOLD HIM TO LET THE PEOPLE GO. HE WOULDN'T DO IT AT FIRST, BUT AFTER MANY PLAGUES, HE FINALLY CHANGED HIS MIND AND DECIDED TO LET THEM LEAVE. MOSES WAS LEADING THESE 2 MILLION PEOPLE OUT OF EGYPT TOWARD THE PROMISED LAND. SUDDENLY THE PHARAOH CHANGED HIS MIND. HE SENT 600 OF HIS FASTEST CHARIOTS TO CATCH THEM. MOSES COULD SEE THEM COMING WAY OFF IN THE DISTANCE. THE PROBLEM WAS THE ISRAELITES WERE AT A DEAD END AT THE RED SEA. THEY HAD NOWHERE TO GO. I CAN IMAGINE MOSES SAYING, "GOD, I DON'T SEE ANY OPTIONS. WE'RE SURROUNDED BY WATER. THE ENEMY IS CLOSING IN. I WOULD ASK YOU TO OPEN A DOOR, BUT I DON'T SEE A DOOR." GOD SAID, "MOSES, DON'T WORRY. I AM THE DOOR." GOD IS NOT JUST A WAYMAKER, HE IS THE WAY. HE CAN CREATE WHAT YOU NEED. THAT'S WHY HE'S CALLED THE GREAT I AM. I AM WHATEVER YOU NEED. I AM A DOOR. I AM A KEY. I AM A WAY OUT. GOD TOLD MOSES TO HOLD UP HIS ROD. WHEN HE DID, THE RED SEA PARTED. THE PEOPLE WALKED THROUGH ON DRY GROUND. WHEN THE ENEMY CAME CHASING AFTER THEM, THE WATERS CLOSED BACK UP. THEY WERE ALL DROWNED. SOME EXPERTS TRY TO EXPLAIN THIS MIRACLE BY SAYING THE WINDS AT THAT TIME OF YEAR COULD'VE BLOWN THE WATERS BACK. THAT'S HOW THEY PASSED THROUGH. IT WAS JUST A NATURAL OCCURRENCE. WHAT THEY DON'T REALIZE IS GOD IS THE WIND. I AM THE WIND TO PUSH BACK WATERS. I AM A DOOR TO TAKE YOU THROUGH WHAT LOOKS IMPOSSIBLE. WHEN AN ARCHITECT IS DESIGNING A HOME, HE DECIDES WHERE TO PUT THE DOORS. I WANT A DOOR IN THE KITCHEN AND A DOOR TO THE GARAGE. I WANT TWO DOORS IN THE FAMILY ROOM. WELL, GOD IS THE ARCHITECT OF THE UNIVERSE. HE DECIDES WHERE THE DOORS ARE GOING TO GO. YOU MAY BE IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU DON'T SEE A WAY OUT. LIKE MOSES, IT FEELS LIKE A DEAD END IN YOUR HEALTH, YOUR CAREER, A RELATIONSHIP. IT'S BECAUSE THE DOOR IS NOT THERE YET. THE GOOD NEWS IS GOD IS NOT FINISHED. HE'S ALREADY DESIGNED YOUR DOORS. THEY'RE ALREADY ON YOUR PLANS, AND AT THE RIGHT TIME, THAT DOOR IS GOING TO SUDDENLY SHOW UP. SUDDENLY YOUR WATERS PART. SUDDENLY THINGS SHIFT IN YOUR FAVOR. SUDDENLY THE OPPOSITION GOES AWAY. WHEN YOU DON'T SEE A WAY, INSTEAD OF BEING DISCOURAGED, YOU NEED TO REMIND YOURSELF THE GOD WE SERVE IS NOT LOOKING FOR A DOOR. HE'S NOT HOPING TO FIND A DOOR. HE IS THE DOOR. NO PERSON CAN STOP YOUR DESTINY, NO BAD BREAK, NO SICKNESS, NO OPPOSITION. WHEN IT'S YOUR TIME, LIKE WITH THE ISRAELITES, GOD IS GOING TO OPEN A DOOR THAT WILL THRUST YOU AHEAD. YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK BACK AND SAY, "WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A CLOSED DOOR WAS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GOD TO SHOW OUT IN MY LIFE. I THOUGHT IT WAS SETTING ME BACK, BUT REALLY IT WAS SETTING ME UP TO GO FURTHER THAN I THOUGHT POSSIBLE." I BELIEVE GOD IS ABOUT TO CREATE SOME NEW DOORS FOR YOU, AREAS WHERE YOU FEEL STUCK, LIKE YOU'VE REACHED YOUR LIMITS. GET READY, GOD IS ABOUT TO MAKE A WAY WHERE YOU DON'T SEE A WAY. IT'S GOING TO BE OUT OF THE ORDINARY, SOMETHING THAT YOU COULDN'T MAKE HAPPEN. THAT'S THE GREAT I AM. I AM FAVOR. I AM PROMOTION. I AM HEALING. I AM VICTORY. IN ACTS CHAPTER 12, KING HEROD HAD PETER ARRESTED AND PUT IN PRISON. HEROD WAS AGAINST THE CHURCH. HE HAD ALREADY HAD THE APOSTLE JAMES PUT TO DEATH. IT DIDN'T LOOK GOOD FOR PETER. HE WAS IN THE DEEPEST PART OF THE PRISON, CHAINED BETWEEN TWO SOLDIERS. HEROD WENT TO GREAT LENGTHS TO MAKE SURE HE DIDN'T GET OUT. THE NEXT MORNING, PETER WAS GOING TO BE BROUGHT TO TRIAL. THERE WAS A GROUP OF BELIEVERS GATHERED AT MARY'S HOUSE. THEY STAYED UP ALL NIGHT AND WE'RE PRAYING FOR PETER. THEY KNEW THIS WAS VERY SERIOUS. LOOKED LIKE THIS CLOSED DOOR COULD STOP HIS PURPOSE. HEROD ASSIGNED 16 MORE SOLDIERS TO WATCH OVER PETER AND MAKE SURE HE DIDN'T ESCAPE, BUT WHILE HE WAS SLEEPING, AN ANGEL CAME AND WOKE PETER UP. HE SAID, "GET DRESSED. WE'RE ABOUT TO LEAVE." HEROD DID EVERYTHING HE COULD TO KEEP PETER IN. WHAT HE DIDN'T REALIZE IS HE COULDN'T KEEP GOD OUT. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS GOD IS A VERY PRESENT HELP IN TIMES OF TROUBLE. WHEN YOU'RE IN TROUBLE, GOD IS RIGHT THERE WITH YOU. HE COMES INTO THE PRISON, INTO THE HOSPITAL, INTO THOSE TIMES OF LOSS. WELL, PETER THOUGHT HE WAS DREAMING. HE STOOD UP AND THE CHAINS FELL OFF HIS WRISTS. THE ANGEL DIDN'T HAVE A KEY, NOTHING TO CUT THEM OFF. THEY CAME OFF SUPERNATURALLY. NONE OF THE OTHER GUARDS HEARD THEM. SIXTEEN SOLDIERS ASSIGNED TO WATCH, BUT NOBODY NOTICED. GOD KNOWS HOW TO MAKE YOU INVISIBLE TO THE ENEMY. HE WON'T LET YOU GET IN A PROBLEM THAT HE CAN'T BRING YOU OUT OF. PETER FOLLOWED THE ANGEL THROUGH THE PRISON, PASSING OTHER GUARDS. THEY FINALLY CAME TO THE BIG GATE THAT LED OUT TO THE STREETS. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS THE GATE OPENED OF ITS OWN ACCORD, JUST LIKE THE ANGEL HAD THE REMOTE CONTROL. PETER WENT TO THE HOUSE OF MARY'S WHERE EVERYONE WAS PRAYING, KNOCKED ON THE DOOR. A YOUNG LADY ANSWERED. WHEN SHE SAW PETER, SHE WAS SO SURPRISED, SHE DIDN'T OPEN THE DOOR. SHE RAN BACK TO TELL EVERYONE. VERSE 15 SAYS THEY SAID TO HER, "YOU ARE OUT OF YOUR MIND." THEY THOUGHT THAT SHE WAS SEEING THINGS. MEANWHILE, PETER WAS STILL OUT THERE KNOCKING. THE NEXT MORNING, WHEN HEROD FOUND OUT THAT PETER HAD ESCAPED, HE HAD ALL THOSE GUARDS PUT TO DEATH. THIS CLOSED DOOR SHOULD'VE BEEN THE END OF PETER. HEROD WAS READY TO FINISH HIM OFF, BUT PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE FINAL SAY. SOME OF THE DOORS THAT SHOULD STOP YOU, LIKE WITH PETER, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THEM OPEN OF THEIR OWN ACCORD. IT WASN'T ANYTHING YOU DID. YOU CAN'T TAKE CREDIT FOR IT. WHAT YOU WERE UP AGAINST WAS BIGGER, MORE POWERFUL, BUT SOMEHOW YOU DEFEATED GOLIATH. SOMEHOW YOU GOT THE COMPAQ CENTER. THAT SICKNESS SHOULD'VE BEEN THE END, BUT THE DOOR OPENED OF ITS OWN ACCORD. SOMEHOW YOU GOT WELL. YOU WEREN'T QUALIFIED FOR THAT POSITION, LOOKED LIKE YOU WERE STUCK IN YOUR CAREER, BUT THE DOOR OPENED OF ITS OWN ACCORD. THE PROMOTION CAME TO YOU. OR MAYBE YOU'VE TRIED TO BREAK THE ADDICTION AND HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO. IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S YOUR DESTINY. NO, THAT DOOR IS ABOUT TO OPEN OF ITS OWN ACCORD. YOU'RE GOING TO DISCOVER A POWER BEYOND YOUR NATURAL ABILITY. PERHAPS AT WORK THERE ARE PEOPLE AGAINST YOU. THEY HAVE MORE SENIORITY. THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO HOLD YOU DOWN, BUT THAT DOOR IS GOING TO OPEN OF ITS OWN ACCORD. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS GOD OPENS DOORS THAT NO PERSON CAN SHUT. THAT MEANS EVEN IF PEOPLE DON'T LIKE YOU, EVEN IF THEY DO THEIR BEST TO DISCREDIT YOU, LIKE HEROD, THEY MAY BE IN CHARGE, THEY DECIDE WHETHER YOU GET THE PROMOTION, THE SCHOLARSHIP, THE LOAN. DON'T WORRY, THEY DON'T HAVE THE FINAL SAY. THERE ARE DOORS GOD HAS ALREADY ORDAINED FOR YOU TO OPEN OF THEIR OWN ACCORD. HERE HEROD HAD 18 SOLDIERS SPECIFICALLY ASSIGNED TO HOLD PETER BACK. HERE'S THE KEY. YOU AND GOD ARE A MAJORITY. WHAT HE HAS DESTINED FOR YOUR LIFE WILL OVERRIDE ANYONE OR ANYTHING TRYING TO STOP YOU. BOTTOM LINE, GOD IS YOUR DOORKEEPER, NOT YOUR BOSS, NOT YOUR BANKER, NOT YOUR NEIGHBOR, NOT YOUR OPPONENT. THEY MAY SHUT THE DOOR, BUT GOD CAN WALK THROUGH IT. HE DOESN'T HAVE TO OPEN IT. HE MAY NOT DO IT A TRADITIONAL WAY. HE CAN GO AROUND WHAT'S BLOCKING YOU. HE CAN GO OVER WHO'S TRYING TO STOP YOU. HE CAN MOVE SOMEONE OUT OF THE WAY THAT'S HOLDING YOU BACK. IT SAYS IN PSALMS, YOU CAN RUN THROUGH A TROOP AND LEAP OVER A WALL. SOME OF THE DOORS THAT HAVE HELD YOU BACK, YOU THINK IT'S BEEN TOO LONG. YOU COULD NEVER ACCOMPLISH A DREAM, NEVER GET WELL, NEVER BREAK THE ADDICTION. NO, THOSE DOORS ARE ABOUT TO OPEN OF THEIR OWN ACCORD. THINGS HAPPEN THAT YOU NEVER DREAMED WOULD HAPPEN. I TALKED TO A MAN RECENTLY. HE'D WORKED FOR A COMPANY FOR MANY YEARS, VERY FAITHFUL, ALWAYS DID MORE THAN REQUIRED, BUT HIS SUPERVISOR DIDN'T LIKE HIM. HE GAVE EVERYONE PROMOTIONS EXCEPT THIS MAN. HE WOULD LEAVE HIM OUT OF IMPORTANT MEETINGS, ALWAYS TRYING TO DISCREDIT HIM AND MAKE HIM LOOK BAD. IT LOOKED LIKE THIS MAN WAS STUCK, LIMITED BEHIND AN UNFAIR SUPERVISOR. ONE DAY, THE OWNER OF THE COMPANY NEEDED SOME WORK DONE. THE SUPERVISOR WAS OUT OF TOWN, SO THIS MAN WORKED WITH THE OWNER FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND GOT HIM ALL THE REPORTS THAT HE NEEDED. THE OWNER WAS SO IMPRESSED, SEVERAL MONTHS LATER HE DECIDED TO RESTRUCTURE THE STAFF. HE CALLED THIS MAN AND THE SUPERVISOR IN. HE SAID TO THE MAN, FROM NOW ON, "I WANT YOU TO RUN THE COMPANY AND REPORT DIRECTLY TO ME." HE TURNED TO THE SUPERVISOR AND SAID, "FROM NOW ON, I WANT YOU TO REPORT TO HIM." HE WENT FROM BEING LEFT OUT TO BEING IN CHARGE. WHAT AM I SAYING? PEOPLE CAN'T LOCK YOU OUT OF YOUR PURPOSE. GOD IS THE ONE WHO OPENS AND CLOSES DOORS. THIS MAN DIDN'T HAVE TO STRUGGLE. HE DIDN'T HAVE TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. YOU KEEP HONORING GOD, BEING YOUR BEST, AND THE RIGHT DOORS WILL OPEN FOR YOU. NOW HERE'S THE KEY. TRUST GOD'S TIMING. DON'T BE IMPATIENT BECAUSE THE DOOR HASN'T OPENED YET. GOD KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING. HE'S NOT GOING TO LET YOU MISS YOUR DESTINY. HE SEES EVERY INJUSTICE. HE SEES EVERY TIME YOU'RE NOT TREATED RIGHT, SOMEONE'S TRYING TO HOLD YOU BACK. STAY IN PEACE. YOUR TIME IS COMING. THOSE CLOSED DOORS CAN'T STOP YOUR DESTINY. LIKE THIS MAN, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE VINDICATION, PROMOTION, DOORS OPENING OF THEIR OWN ACCORD. IN THE BOOK OF 1 SAMUEL, A YOUNG LADY NAMED HANNAH WAS VERY DISCOURAGED BECAUSE SHE COULDN'T HAVE A BABY. HER HUSBAND WAS MARRIED TO TWO WIVES. THIS OTHER WIFE KEPT HAVING CHILD AFTER CHILD. HANNAH COULDN'T UNDERSTAND IT, DIDN'T SEEM FAIR, BUT THE SCRIPTURE SAYS THE LORD CLOSED HANNAH'S WOMB. SOMETIMES WE'RE FRUSTRATED OVER A DOOR THAT GOD HAS CLOSED. WE MAY NOT LIKE IT. WE DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. BUT WHEN YOU KNOW GOD IS YOUR DOORKEEPER, THAT HE OPENS AND CLOSES DOORS, NOT PEOPLE, NOT CIRCUMSTANCES, THEN YOU CAN LIVE AT REST KNOWING AT THE RIGHT TIME GOD WILL OPEN THE RIGHT DOORS. FOR YEARS, HANNAH WAS BARREN. ONE DAY, SHE WAS SO DISCOURAGED, SHE WENT TO THE TEMPLE TO PRAY. SHE SAID, "GOD, IF YOU'LL GIVE ME A BABY, I'LL GIVE HIM BACK TO YOU. I'LL LET HIM LIVE IN THE TEMPLE." THE PRIEST OVERHEARD HER PRAYER, SAID, "HANNAH, YOU CAN GO HOME. GOD HAS GRANTED YOUR REQUEST." A YEAR LATER, SHE GAVE BIRTH TO A BABY BOY. THEY NAMED HIM SAMUEL. JUST BECAUSE A DOOR IS SHUT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S PERMANENT. YOU MAY NOT HAVE SEEN WHAT YOU'RE BELIEVING FOR YET, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. YES, GOD SHUTS DOORS THAT NO MAN CAN OPEN, BUT HE ALSO OPENS DOORS THAT NO MAN CAN SHUT. IF YOU'LL STAY IN FAITH, LIKE HANNAH, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT CLOSED DOOR SUDDENLY OPEN. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, MANIPULATE PEOPLE, FORCE YOUR WAY. THE TRUTH IS YOU CAN'T OPEN A DOOR THAT GOD HAS SHUT. KEEP PRAYING, BELIEVING, DO YOUR PART, THEN TRUST GOD AS YOUR DOORKEEPER. ARE YOU FRUSTRATED OVER WHAT HASN'T WORKED OUT, DISCOURAGED OVER A DREAM THAT HASN'T COME TO PASS? IF HANNAH WERE HERE TODAY, SHE WOULD TELL YOU, "BE PATIENT. THE CLOSED DOOR IS NOT PERMANENT." PETER WOULD TELL YOU, "YOU DON'T HAVE TO FIGURE IT OUT. IT'S GOING TO OPEN OF ITS OWN ACCORD." THE DISCIPLES WOULD TELL YOU, "IT MAY BE LOCKED, BUT DON'T WORRY. GOD CAN COME THROUGH THE DOOR." HE CAN DO IT A SUPERNATURAL WAY. NOW, DOORS MAY HAVE BEEN CLOSED FOR A LONG TIME FOR YOU. DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S EVER GOING TO HAPPEN. NO, GET READY. I BELIEVE AND DECLARE THE DOORKEEPER IS ABOUT TO OPEN DOORS THAT NO MAN CAN SHUT. THE RIGHT PEOPLE ARE COMING. PROBLEMS THAT LOOKED PERMANENT ARE ABOUT TO SUDDENLY TURN AROUND OF THEIR OWN ACCORD. PROMOTION, HEALING, BREAKTHROUGHS, THE FULLNESS OF YOUR DESTINY. IN JESUS'S NAME, AND 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 REPENT OF MY SINS. COME INTO MY HEART. I MAKE YOU MY LORD AND SAVIOR. FRIENDS, IF YOU PRAYED THAT SIMPLE PRAYER, YOU JUST GOT BORN AGAIN. GET IN A GOOD BIBLE-BASED CHURCH AND KEEP GOD FIRST PLACE. > JOEL: THANKS FOR WATCHING THIS MESSAGE. I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT. WE UPLOAD NEW VIDEOS EVERY WEEK TO KEEP YOU INSPIRED AND ENCOURAGED. SO DON'T FORGET TO HIT THE LIKE BUTTON AND MAKE SURE YOU SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHANNEL. > VICTORIA: LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW HOW THIS MESSAGE HAS ENCOURAGED YOU. WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. WE'RE PRAYING FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME!
