[MUSIC] >> JOEL OSTEEN: WELL, 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 ONE OF OUR SERVICES. I PROMISE YOU WE WILL MAKE YOU FEEL RIGHT AT HOME. I LIKE TO START WITH SOMETHING FUNNY, AND I HEARD ABOUT THIS LADY, SHE SURPRISED A BURGLAR IN HER KITCHEN LATE ONE NIGHT. SHE WAS HOME ALONE AND DIDN'T HAVE A WEAPON, AND SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT SHE WAS GOING TO DO. SHE FINALLY THOUGHT, "I'LL QUOTE A SCRIPTURE VERSE." SHE SHOUTED OUT ACTS 2:38. THE BURGLAR SUDDENLY FROZE IN HIS TRACKS AND WOULDN'T MOVE. SOON THE POLICE ARRIVED. THEY WERE AMAZED THAT A WOMAN WITH NO WEAPON COULD DO THIS. THEY ASKED THE BURGLAR, "WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THAT SCRIPTURE THAT HAD SUCH AN EFFECT ON YOU?" HE SAID, "SCRIPTURE? WHAT SCRIPTURE? I THOUGHT SHE SAID SHE HAD AN AXE AND TWO .38S." 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 MIRACLES IN YOUR MOUTH. OUR WORDS HAVE CREATIVE POWER. WHEN WE SPEAK SOMETHING OUT, WE'RE GIVING IT THE RIGHT TO COME TO PASS. IT'S ONE THING TO BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE HEALED, BUT WHEN YOU SAY, "I AM HEALED," THAT'S WHAT RELEASES THE HEALING. AND IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO JUST BELIEVE YOU'RE BLESSED, BELIEVE YOU HAVE FAVOR. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, "THE SPIRIT OF FAITH IS IN OUR WORDS." WHEN YOU SAY, "I AM BLESSED. I HAVE FAVOR. I'M COMING OUT OF DEBT," ANGELS GO TO WORK. GOOD BREAKS WILL FIND YOU. THE RIGHT PEOPLE WILL TRACK YOU DOWN. AND YOU CAN THINK POSITIVE, YOU CAN BELIEVE FOR FAVOR, THAT'S GOOD, BUT NOTHING HAPPENS TILL YOU SPEAK. THE MIRACLE IS IN YOUR MOUTH. THERE IS HEALING IN YOUR MOUTH. THERE IS FREEDOM IN YOUR MOUTH. THERE ARE NEW LEVELS IN YOUR MOUTH. IF YOU'RE FIGHTING AN ILLNESS, IT'S EASY TO TALK ABOUT THE MEDICAL REPORT AND HOW BAD IT LOOKS, "I DON'T THINK I'LL EVER GET WELL." WHEN YOU SPEAK THAT, YOU'RE CALLING IN MORE SICKNESS, MORE DEFEAT. YOU NEED TO CHANGE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, "LET THE WEAK SAY, 'I AM STRONG.'" IT DOESN'T SAY, "LET THE WEAK TALK ABOUT THE WEAKNESS. LET THE WEAK CALL FIVE FRIENDS AND DISCUSS THE PROBLEM." THAT'S GIVING LIFE TO THE NEGATIVE. NOW, I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO DENY THE FACTS, JUST SAY WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT YOU. YOUR REPORT SHOULD BE, "GOD IS RESTORING HEALTH BACK UNTO ME. THE NUMBER OF MY DAYS HE WILL FULFILL." MY MOTHER WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY AFTER BEING DIAGNOSED WITH TERMINAL CANCER IN 1981 IF SHE HAD NOT DONE THIS. IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO JUST NOT SAY ANYTHING NEGATIVE, YOU HAVE TO BE ON THE OFFENSIVE. ALL THROUGH THE DAY, I WOULD HEAR HER QUOTING SCRIPTURES. WHEN SOMEBODY ASKED HOW SHE WAS DOING, IT WAS NEVER A SAD SONG, "IT'S HARD. I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. I'M TIRED." HER REPORT WAS, "I AM HEALED, WITH LONG LIFE GOD WILL SATISFY ME. WHAT HE STARTED IN MY LIFE HE'S GOING TO FINISH." SHE DIDN'T FEEL HEALED, SHE FELT WEAK, BUT SHE SAID, "I AM STRONG." THE MEDICAL REPORT SAID SHE WAS DONE, BUT SHE SAID, "I WILL LIVE AND NOT DIE." SHE GOT IN AGREEMENT WITH GOD AND RELEASED THE MIRACLE IN HER MOUTH. THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS LATER, SHE'S STILL ALIVE AND HEALTHY. ARE THERE MIRACLES IN YOUR MOUTH WAITING TO BE RELEASED? "JOEL, WHEN I BREAK THIS ADDICTION, THEN I'LL TELL PEOPLE I'M FREE." YOU HAVE TO TELL THEM FIRST. EVERY DAY, YOU NEED TO DECLARE, "I AM FREE. I AM CLEAN. THIS ADDICTION DOES NOT CONTROL ME." EVERY TIME YOU SAY, "I AM FREE," IN THE UNSEEN REALM CHAINS ARE BROKEN, STRONGHOLDS ARE LOOSED, FREEDOM STARTS HEADING YOUR WAY. YOU KEEP SPEAKING IT AND YOU WILL BECOME WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. YOU ARE PROPHESYING YOUR FUTURE. WHEN DAVID FACED GOLIATH, A GIANT TWICE HIS SIZE, IT WASN'T A COINCIDENCE THAT HE LOOKED AT HIM AND SAID, "THIS DAY I WILL DEFEAT YOU AND FEED YOUR HEAD TO THE BIRDS OF THE AIR." HE WASN'T JUST BEING POSITIVE, HE WASN'T JUST TALKING SMACK. HE UNDERSTOOD THIS PRINCIPLE, THE MIRACLE WAS IN HIS MOUTH. HE HAD TO RELEASE THE VICTORY. WHAT IF HE WOULD'VE SAID, "WOW, I THOUGHT I WANTED TO FACE GOLIATH, BUT LOOK HOW BIG HE IS. I DON'T HAVE ANY ARMOR. I DON'T FEEL QUALIFIED. I DON'T THINK I HAVE A CHANCE." IF HE WOULD'VE TALKED DEFEAT, WE WOULDN'T KNOW WHO DAVID WAS. IF HE WOULD'VE JUST THOUGHT POSITIVE, "I BELIEVE I CAN DO IT. I BELIEVE I'VE GOT WHAT IT TAKES," HE WOULDN'T HAVE DEFEATED GOLIATH. HE KNEW HE HAD TO SPEAK IT, "I WILL DEFEAT YOU." YOU MAY HAVE A GIANT IN YOUR PATH, A GIANT OF DEBT, A GIANT OF DEPRESSION, A GIANT OF SICKNESS. LIKE DAVID, YOU NEED TO ANNOUNCE TO THAT GIANT, "I WILL DEFEAT YOU. YOU WILL NOT KEEP ME FROM MY DESTINY. THE FORCES THAT ARE FOR ME ARE GREATER THAN THE FORCES THAT ARE TRYING TO STOP ME." THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, "IF ANY TWO OF YOU AGREE, ANYTHING YOU ASK ACCORDING TO GOD'S WILL, IT WILL BE DONE." THERE'S POWER IN AGREEMENT. WHAT'S INTERESTING IS DAVID DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE TO AGREE WITH HIM. HIS BROTHERS LOOKED DOWN ON HIM, THOUGHT HE WAS TOO SMALL. HIS FATHER SAW HIM AS LESS THAN, LIKE HE'D NEVER AMOUNT TO MUCH. KING SAUL DIDN'T THINK HE HAD A CHANCE. HE EVEN TRIED TO GIVE DAVID HIS ARMOR SO AT LEAST IT WOULDN'T BE SO PAINFUL. NOBODY WAS THERE TO ENCOURAGE DAVID, TO SAY, "HEY, DAVID, YOU CAN DO THIS. WE BELIEVE IN YOU. YOU'VE GOT WHAT IT TAKES." THERE ARE TIMES, LIKE WITH DAVID, YOU CAN'T FIND ANYONE TO AGREE WITH YOU. BUT I'VE LEARNED IF YOU'LL COME INTO AGREEMENT WITH YOURSELF, IF YOU'LL GET YOUR HEART AND MOUTH IN AGREEMENT AND START SPEAKING VICTORY, DECLARING THAT YOU ARE WELL ABLE, THAT YOU ARE BLESSED, THAT YOU WILL DEFEAT THE ADDICTION, THEN EVEN THOUGH OTHERS DON'T AGREE BECAUSE YOU'RE IN AGREEMENT WITH YOURSELF, YOU WILL SEE GIANTS DEFEATED. YOU WILL ACCOMPLISH DREAMS THAT OTHERS THOUGHT WERE IMPOSSIBLE. NOW, DON'T BE DISCOURAGED BECAUSE NOBODY IS CHEERING YOU ON AND NOBODY SEES WHAT YOU'VE SEEN. SOMETIMES GOD PUTS THINGS IN YOUR HEART THAT OTHER PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND. SEEMS TOO BIG, TOO IMPOSSIBLE. INSTEAD OF ENCOURAGING YOU, THEY'LL DO JUST THE OPPOSITE. "YOU THINK YOU CAN BEAT THAT SICKNESS? I DON'T KNOW, MY GRANDMOTHER DIED OF THE SAME THING. YOU STILL THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A BABY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS? YOU'RE KIND OF GETTING UP THERE. YOU REALLY BELIEVE YOU CAN BUILD THAT ORPHANAGE, WRITE THAT BOOK, LEAD YOUR COMPANY IN SALES, MOVE INTO THAT NICE NEIGHBORHOOD? I JUST DON'T SEE IT." THE GOOD NEWS IS THEY DON'T HAVE TO SEE IT. YOU DON'T NEED THEM TO AGREE WITH YOU. COME INTO AGREEMENT WITH YOURSELF, GET YOUR HEART AND WORDS GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. START TALKING LIKE IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. YOU HAVE TO SAY IT BEFORE YOU'LL SEE IT. WHEN DAVID WENT OUT TO FACE GOLIATH, ALL THE ISRAELI ARMY AND ALL THE PHILISTINE ARMY WERE WATCHING. HERE WAS THIS TEENAGER WITH NO MILITARY TRAINING, NO EXPERIENCE, YOUNG, SMALL, LOOKED LIKE A BOY. IN FRONT OF ALL OF THEM, HE HAD THE AUDACITY TO SAY WITH CONFIDENCE, "GOLIATH, I WILL DEFEAT YOU." SOME OF THEM MADE FUN, RIDICULED. EVEN GOLIATH LAUGHED AND SAID, "AM I A DOG THAT YOU'D COME AT ME WITH A STICK? SENDING THIS LITTLE BOY, IS THAT ALL YOU'VE GOT?" THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU MAY NOT SEE THE GREATNESS IN YOU. THEY'LL JUDGE YOU BY THE OUTSIDE, BY YOUR SIZE, YOUR EXPERIENCE, YOUR BACKGROUND, YOUR NATIONALITY. DON'T LET THEM TALK YOU OUT OF WHAT GOD PUT IN YOUR HEART. DO LIKE DAVID, KEEP SPEAKING THE VICTORY IN SPITE OF WHAT THE NAYSAYERS THINK. KEEP DECLARING YOUR VISION IN SPITE OF WHAT EXPERTS ARE TELLING YOU. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT GOD PUT IN YOU. DON'T LET THEIR NEGATIVE WORDS KEEP YOU FROM SPEAKING POSITIVE, FAITH-FILLED WORDS. WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO ACQUIRE THIS PLACE, THE FORMER COMPAQ CENTER, IT WAS LIKE DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH. THE COMPANY WE WERE UP AGAINST WAS THE LARGEST TAXPAYER IN TEXAS, A HUGE REAL ESTATE COMPANY. AND THERE WERE PLENTY OF PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T THINK WE HAD A CHANCE, NOT JUST OUR CRITICS, BUT EVEN SOME OF THE EXPERTS. DEEP DOWN, I KNEW GOD PUT THIS IN MY HEART, SO I ANNOUNCED TO THE CONGREGATION THAT WE WERE GOING TO PURCHASE THE COMPAQ CENTER. OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, WE HAD ALL KINDS OF OPPOSITION, PLENTY OF TIMES WHERE IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE IT WOULD EVER WORK OUT. I WAS TEMPTED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT I SAW. "OUR OPPONENTS ARE SO STRONG, THEY HAVE MORE FUNDS, I DON'T SEE HOW THIS CAN HAPPEN." BUT I UNDERSTOOD THIS PRINCIPLE, WE GIVE LIFE TO WHAT WE SPEAK. IF YOU START SPEAKING THE NEGATIVE, AGREEING WITH THE DOUBT, TALKING ABOUT HOW BIG THE PROBLEM IS, YOU ARE GIVING LIFE TO THE WRONG THINGS. YOUR WORDS CAN KEEP YOU FROM YOUR DESTINY. IN THE SCRIPTURE, AN ANGEL TOLD A MAN NAMED ZECHARIAH THAT HIS WIFE WAS GOING TO HAVE A BABY. HE WAS SURPRISED BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO OLD TO HAVE CHILDREN. ZECHARIAH SAID TO THE ANGEL, "ARE YOU SURE? LOOK HOW OLD WE ARE." THE ANGLE SAID, "YES, ZECHARIAH, IT WILL HAPPEN. BUT BECAUSE YOU DOUBTED, YOU WILL REMAIN SILENT AND NOT BE ABLE TO SPEAK UNTIL THE CHILD IS BORN." THAT'S HOW POWERFUL WORDS ARE. GOD KNEW IF ZECHARIAH WENT AROUND TALKING DEFEAT, "I DON'T SEE HOW. WE'RE TOO OLD," IT WOULD'VE KEPT THE BABY FROM BEING BORN. AND GOD HAS PUT DREAMS AND PROMISES IN YOUR SPIRIT THAT MAY SEEM TOO BIG, IMPOSSIBLE. YOU DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES, THE EXPERIENCE, THE CONNECTIONS. DON'T DO LIKE ZECHARIAH AND TALK YOURSELF OUT OF THE MIRACLE. GET IN AGREEMENT WITH GOD. DARE TO DECLARE WHAT HE SAYS ABOUT YOU. MAYBE YOU'RE FACING AN ILLNESS, THERE'S NO SIGN OF IT GETTING BETTER. YOU'RE RIGHT WHERE ZECHARIAH WAS. HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN? THE MEDICAL REPORT SAYS, "NO WAY." GOD HAS DONE HIS PART, NOW IT'S UP TO YOU. FATHER, THANK YOU THAT YOU'RE MY HEALER. THANK YOU THAT YOU CAN DO WHAT MEDICINE CANNOT DO. PERHAPS YOUR DREAM SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE. THE ODDS ARE AGAINST YOU. IT'S EASY TO GET NEGATIVE, DISMISSIVE. NO, TURN IT AROUND. FATHER, THANK YOU THAT YOU'RE OPENING DOORS NO MAN CAN SHUT. THANK YOU THAT YOU'RE PUTTING ME AT THE RIGHT PLACE. THANK YOU THAT WHAT YOU PROMISED IS ON THE WAY. SOMETIMES YOU'RE SAYING THE RIGHT WORDS, YOU'RE SPEAKING FAITH, BUT NOTHING'S IMPROVING. THERE'S NO SIGN OF IT GETTING BETTER. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, "HOLD FAST THE PROFESSION OF YOUR FAITH." IT IMPLIES SOMETHING'S GOING TO TRY TO TAKE IT AWAY. IT'S LIKE A TUG OF WAR, THE ENEMY'S ON THE OTHER END TRYING TO PULL AWAY WHAT GOD PUT IN YOUR HEART. YOU MAY HAVE HAD THAT SICKNESS A LONG TIME, HOLD FAST YOUR PROFESSION. DON'T GET TALKED OUT OF IT, KEEP SPEAKING VICTORY, "I AM HEALED. I AM WHOLE." YOU MAY BE IN DEBT, YOU KEEP SPEAKING ABUNDANCE. IN TROUBLE, KEEP SPEAKING FAVOR. IN ADDICTIONS, KEEP SPEAKING FREEDOM. EVERY TIME YOU DECLARE THE VICTORY, YOU'RE GETTING CLOSER TO THE MIRACLE. EVERY TIME YOU SAY, "I AM HEALED," YOU'RE MOVING TOWARD HEALING." EVERY TIME YOU SAY, "I AM BLESSED," YOU'RE MOVING TOWARD INCREASE, PROMOTION. EVERY TIME YOU SAY, "I AM FREE. I WILL NOT BE CONTROLLED BY THIS ADDICTION, BY THIS ANGER, BY THIS ALCOHOL," YOU ARE MOVING TOWARD FREEDOM, BREAKTHROUGHS, WHOLENESS. IT MAY NOT HAVE HAPPENED YET, KEEP RELEASING THE MIRACLE. HOLD FAST YOUR PROFESSION. SEE, WORDS ARE LIKE SEEDS. WHEN WE SPEAK SOMETHING OUT, THEY TAKE ROOT, THEY BEGIN TO GROW. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, "YOU WILL EAT THE FRUIT OF YOUR WORDS." FRUIT IS NOT FULLY DEVELOPED OVERNIGHT, BUT EVENTUALLY YOU'RE GOING TO BECOME WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. ARE YOU PLANTING GOOD SEEDS? ARE YOU SPEAKING FAITH-FILLED WORDS OVER YOURSELF, OVER YOUR DREAMS, YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR HEALTH, YOUR FINANCES? THE ODDS WERE AGAINST US, BUT I KEPT DECLARING, "THE COMPAQ CENTER IS OURS." I WOULD TELL THE CONGREGATION, "IT WON'T BE LONG TILL WE'RE DOWN THERE AT OUR NEW FACILITY." A MAN CAME UP AFTER SERVICE, HE SAID, "JOEL, I'VE BEEN OUT OF TOWN, CONGRATULATIONS. I DIDN'T KNOW THE DEAL WITH THE COMPAQ CENTER WENT THROUGH." I SAID, "WELL, OFFICIALLY IT HASN'T GONE THROUGH YET, BUT I KNOW IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME." WHAT AM I SAYING? YOU HAVE TO TALK LIKE IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. NOT, "I'M GOING TO BE HEALED ONE DAY." "LORD, THANK YOU THAT I AM HEALED." "WELL, JOEL, THIS SOUNDS GOOD, BUT I'M STRUGGLING. I CAN'T SEEM TO GET AHEAD." THE PROBLEM IS YOU'RE PLANTING THE WRONG SEEDS. THE FRUIT OF THOSE WORDS IS LACK, NOT ENOUGH, MEDIOCRITY. WHY DON'T YOU START DECLARING, "I AM SURROUNDED BY GOD'S FAVOR. GOODNESS AND MERCY FOLLOWS ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE. PROMOTION IS LOOKING FOR ME. GOOD BREAKS ARE TRACKING ME DOWN. I'M EXCITED ABOUT MY FUTURE"? YOU DO THAT, GET READY FOR DOORS TO OPEN THAT YOU COULDN'T OPEN. GET READY FOR COMPAQ CENTERS TO COME ACROSS YOUR PATH. GET READY FOR GOD TO SHOW OUT IN YOUR LIFE. DAVID SAID IN PSALM 35, "LET THEM CONTINUALLY SAY, 'LET THE LORD BE MAGNIFIED WHO TAKES PLEASURE IN PROSPERING HIS CHILDREN.'" THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO GO AROUND CONTINUALLY SAYING THIS. SEEMED LIKE IF THEY SAID IT ONCE, THAT WOULD BE GOOD ENOUGH. BUT SOMETHING POWERFUL HAPPENS WHEN YOU GO THROUGH LIFE NOT TALKING ABOUT HOW YOU NEVER GET GOOD BREAKS, HOW YOUR BACK WILL NEVER QUIT HURTING. INSTEAD, ALL THROUGH THE DAY, "GOD TAKES PLEASURE IN PROSPERING ME. NEW DOORS ARE OPENING. I AM STRONG, HEALTHY, ENERGETIC. MY CHILDREN ARE MIGHTY IN THE LAND. AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD." WHEN YOU CONTINUALLY SAY THAT, YOU ARE RELEASING MIRACLES. JOSEPH WAS THE PRIME MINISTER OF EGYPT FOR MANY YEARS. WHEN HE WAS ABOUT TO DIE, HE MADE HIS FAMILY PROMISE THAT THEY WOULD TAKE HIS BODY OUT OF EGYPT AND HAVE HIM BURIED IN THE PROMISED LAND. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS HE WAS SO SURE THAT GOD WAS GOING TO BRING THE ISRAELITES OUT OF EGYPT THAT HE CONFIDENTLY SPOKE OF IT BEFORE IT HAPPENED. THERE SHOULD BE SOME THINGS GOD PUT IN YOUR HEART, LIKE JOSEPH, YOU CONFIDENTLY SPEAK OF IT BEFORE IT HAPPENS. THERE MAY BE NO SIGN OF IT RIGHT NOW, BUT DOWN IN YOUR SPIRIT, YOU KNOW YOU ARE GOING TO GET WELL. YOU KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO MEET THE RIGHT PERSON. YOU KNOW YOUR FAMILY'S GOING TO BE RESTORED. NOW, DO LIKE HIM, SPEAK OF IT BEFORE IT HAPPENS. NOT AFTER, NOT WHEN THINGS BEGIN TO IMPROVE. YOU HAVE TO RELEASE THE MIRACLE, IT'S IN YOUR MOUTH. PSALM 91 SAYS, "I WILL SAY OF THE LORD HE IS MY REFUGE, MY FORTRESS, MY GOD IN WHOM I TRUST." THEN IT LISTS ALL THESE GREAT THINGS THAT WILL HAPPEN. GOD WILL SHIELD YOU FROM EVIL, HE WILL PROTECT YOU FROM ENEMIES. BUT THEN A FEW VERSES LATER, IT PUTS A CONDITION ON IT. VERSE 9 SAYS, "IF YOU SAY THE LORD IS YOUR REFUGE, THEN NO HARM WILL OVERTAKE YOU, THEN HE WILL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE OVER YOU." IT IMPLIES IF YOU DON'T SAY IT, IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. SOMETHING SUPERNATURAL OCCURS WHEN YOU SAY, "FATHER, THANK YOU THAT YOU'RE MY PROTECTOR, THANK YOU THAT YOU'RE MY PROVIDER, MY HEALER, MY WAY MAKER. THANK YOU THAT YOU'RE BIGGER THAN THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU THAT YOU'RE BRINGING DREAMS TO PASS." WHEN YOU SAY IT, THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE GOES TO WORK. IN THE SCRIPTURE, A TEENAGE GIRL NAMED MARY BECAME PREGNANT NOT BY A MAN, BUT BY A WORD FROM GOD. AN ANGEL APPEARED, "MARY, YOU ARE HIGHLY FAVORED. YOU'RE GOING TO CONCEIVE, HAVE A BABY WITHOUT KNOWING A MAN. HE WILL BE THE MESSIAH, THE SON OF GOD." WHEN GOD WANTS TO CREATE, HE DOESN'T USE MATERIAL THINGS, HE USES WORDS. MARY COULD'VE LOOKED AT THE ANGEL AND SAID, "NO WAY, THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE." INSTEAD, SHE SAID, "BE IT UNTO ME EVEN AS YOU HAVE SAID." SHE GOT IN AGREEMENT WITH GOD. SHE USED HER WORDS TO CONFIRM WHAT SHE HEARD, NOT TO DEBATE WHAT SHE HEARD. WHEN GOD PUTS A PROMISE IN YOUR HEART, JUST AGREE WITH IT. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS BY HIS STRIPES YOU WERE HEALED. DON'T DEBATE IT, "I DON'T FEEL HEALED. THE MEDICAL REPORT HASN'T CHANGED." DO LIKE MARY, "LORD, THANK YOU THAT I AM HEALED. BE IT UNTO ME EVEN AS YOU HAVE SAID." GOD SAYS BECAUSE YOU KEEP HIM FIRST PLACE, YOU WILL LEND AND NOT BORROW. YOU WILL BE ABOVE AND NOT BENEATH. DON'T DEBATE IT, "I NEVER GET GOOD BREAKS. MY BOSS DOESN'T EVEN LIKE ME." "LORD, THANK YOU THAT I'M PROSPEROUS. THANK YOU THAT I HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH. THANK YOU THAT YOU HAVE BLESSED ME SO I COULD BE A BLESSING." IT'S NOT COMPLICATED, JUST AGREE WITH GOD. YOU CAN'T TALK DEFEAT AND HAVE VICTORY. YOU CAN'T TALK LACK AND HAVE ABUNDANCE. YOU CAN'T TALK SICKNESS AND HAVE HEALTH. THE MIRACLE IS IN YOUR MOUTH. GENESIS CHAPTER 1, THE EARTH WAS WITHOUT FORM AND VOID. GOD SAID, "LET THERE BE LIGHT," THERE WAS LIGHT. THIS HAPPENED ON THE FIRST DAY OF CREATION. IT WASN'T UNTIL THE FOURTH DAY THAT GOD CREATED THE SUN AND THE MOON. THAT MEANS FOR THREE DAYS, WHETHER IT WAS A LITERAL DAY OF 24 HOURS OR WHETHER A DAY WAS LIKE A MILLION YEARS, FOR THREE OF THOSE DAYS THERE WAS LIGHT WITHOUT THE SUN OR THE MOON. WHEN GOD SPEAKS, HIS WORDS ARE SO POWERFUL, THINGS WILL HAPPEN WHERE THERE IS NO EXPLANATION. HOW CAN YOU HAVE LIGHT WITHOUT A SOURCE? GOD IS SUPERNATURAL. WHEN HE SPEAKS THINGS OVER YOUR LIFE, THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE EXPLAINED. THE MEDICAL REPORT SAID THAT MY MOTHER HAD NO CHANCE TO LIVE BACK IN 1981. BUT GOD SAID, "YOU WILL LIVE AND NOT DIE." GOD HAS THE FINAL SAY. MEDICALLY SPEAKING, IT COULDN'T BE EXPLAINED. THE ONLY EXPLANATION IS WE SERVE A GOD WHO IS ALL POWERFUL. GOD WILL SPEAK THINGS TO YOUR HEART THAT DON'T MAKE SENSE TO YOUR MIND. EVERY THOUGHT WILL SAY, "THERE'S NO WAY. YOU'LL NEVER GET WELL. THERE'S NO WAY, YOU COULDN'T REACH THAT LEVEL." DO LIKE MARY, GET IN AGREEMENT WITH GOD. HE CAN GIVE YOU LIGHT WITHOUT THE SUN, WATER WITHOUT RAIN, HEALING WHERE THERE IS NO SOURCE. IN THE NATURAL, NO EXPLANATION. IF YOU'LL AGREE WITH WHAT'S IN YOUR SPIRIT AND DECLARE WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT YOU, GOD WILL DO THINGS THAT ARE UNUSUAL, UNCOMMON-- PROMOTION, HEALING, BREAKTHROUGHS-- THAT YOU CAN'T EXPLAIN. THAT'S GOD GIVING YOU LIGHT WITHOUT THE SUN, GOD MAKING THINGS HAPPEN THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED. NOW, DON'T TALK YOURSELF OUT OF IT, TALK YOURSELF INTO IT. LIKE MARY, "THIS SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE, BUT GOD, BE IT UNTO ME EVEN AS YOU HAVE SAID." HIS WORDS CAUSED A DEAD MAN, LAZARUS, TO COME BACK TO LIFE. HIS WORDS CAUSED LEPROSY TO DISAPPEAR. HIS WORDS OPENED PRISON DOORS FOR PAUL AND SILAS. HIS WORDS ARE ABOUT TO BREAK CHAINS THAT HAVE HELD YOU BACK, OPEN NEW DOORS, THRUST YOU FURTHER THAN YOU'VE IMAGINED. WHEN THE ISRAELITES WERE HEADED TO THE PROMISED LAND, THEY WERE IN THE DESERT WITH NO WATER TO DRINK. GOD TOLD MOSES TO TAKE OUT HIS STAFF AND STRIKE THIS ROCK. WHEN HE DID, WATER CAME GUSHING OUT, NO EXPLANATION. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT, SUDDENLY THEY HAD THIS FRESH, CLEAN WATER. THEY WERE THRILLED. THIRTY-NINE YEARS LATER, THEY WERE IN THE DESERT AGAIN, SAME SITUATION, NO WATER. THIS TIME, GOD TOLD MOSES TO SPEAK TO THE ROCK. MOSES GOT HIS STAFF OUT AND DID IT THE OLD WAY, STRUCK IT. WATER CAME OUT, BUT GOD TOLD HIM BECAUSE HE DISOBEYED, BECAUSE HE STRUCK THE ROCK AND DIDN'T SPEAK TO IT, THEY WOULDN'T GO INTO THE PROMISED LAND. THIS WAS SYMBOLIC. THE FIRST TIME GOD TOLD MOSES TO STRIKE THE ROCK, THAT REPRESENTED THE OLD COVENANT, WHERE THE PEOPLE HAD TO WORK FOR GOD'S GOODNESS, KEEP ALL THE LAWS, SACRIFICE ANIMALS TO COVER THEIR SINS. IF THEY DIDN'T PERFORM ALL THESE REQUIREMENTS, THEY WOULDN'T BE BLESSED. THE SECOND TIME, GOD TOLD MOSES TO SPEAK TO THE ROCK. THAT REPRESENTS THE NEW COVENANT WHERE WE LIVE. JESUS IS THE ROCK WHERE THE WATER OF LIFE FLOWS. SALVATION, HEALING, FREEDOM, ABUNDANCE. ONCE JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED IN THIS SYMBOLISM, MOSES DIDN'T HAVE TO STRIKE THE ROCK AGAIN. WHEN HE STRUCK IT TWICE, GOD SAID IN EFFECT, "NO, THE PRICE HAS BEEN PAID. JESUS HAS BEEN CRUCIFIED." NOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO WORK FOR OUR SALVATION, TRY TO BE GOOD ENOUGH, EARN GOD'S LOVE, EARN HIS FORGIVENESS. THIS NEW COVENANT IS NOT BASED OFF OF WORKS, IT'S BASED OFF OF GRACE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO STRIKE THE ROCK, JUST SPEAK TO THE ROCK. DECLARE YOUR HEALING, DECLARE YOUR FREEDOM, DECLARE YOUR DREAMS ARE COMING TO PASS. JESUS SAID, "IF YOU HAVE FAITH AS SMALL AS A MUSTARD SEED, YOU CAN SAY TO THIS MOUNTAIN, 'BE REMOVED,' AND IT WILL MOVE. NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO YOU." HE TIES NOTHING BEING IMPOSSIBLE TO SPEAKING TO A MOUNTAIN. ARE YOU LIVING UNDER THE OLD COVENANT, THINKING YOU HAVE TO STRIKE THE ROCK, MAKE EVERYTHING HAPPEN IN YOUR OWN STRENGTH? WE'RE LIVING UNDER A BETTER COVENANT. IN THIS NEW COVENANT, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SPEAK. MAYBE YOU'VE BEEN WORKING HARD, DOING ALL YOU CAN TO KEEP THINGS GOING. YOUR HEART IS TO BE YOUR BEST, BUT IT'S A STRUGGLE. THOSE THINGS THAT ARE STRESSING YOU, IF YOU'LL START SPEAKING TO THEM, YOU'RE GOING TO COME INTO AN ANOINTING OF EASE, WHERE THE WATER IS GOING TO FLOW WITHOUT ALL THE EFFORT. DON'T DO LIKE MOSES AND KEEP STRIKING IT. GOD IS SAYING, "I PAID THE PRICE, SPEAK TO IT. DECLARE YOU'RE BLESSED, DECLARE YOU HAVE FAVOR." AND SITUATIONS WHERE YOU'VE WORKED AND COULDN'T MAKE CHANGE, THEY WILL BEGIN TO SUPERNATURALLY TURN AROUND. WHAT GOD PROMISED YOU IS EN ROUTE. HEALING IS ON THE WAY, PROMOTION IS ON THE WAY, BREAKTHROUGHS, IDEAS, CREATIVITY. YOU ARE CLOSE TO YOUR MIRACLE. THINGS YOU'VE BEEN BELIEVING FOR, CONTRACTS, REAL ESTATE, BUSINESSES, THAT HOUSE, IT IS ON THE WAY. NOW, I SPEAK TO THE UNBORN PROMISES IN YOUR SPIRIT, DREAMS THAT YOU THINK ARE DEAD. YOU WILL NOT ABORT THEM, THEY ARE STILL ALIVE. A BIRTH IS IN YOUR FUTURE. NEW RELATIONSHIPS, NEW OPPORTUNITIES, NEW LEVELS, FRIENDS, THE MIRACLE IS IN YOUR MOUTH. GET IN AGREEMENT WITH GOD AND DECLARE WHAT HE SAYS ABOUT YOU. LET ME HELP YOU GET STARTED. WILL YOU SAY THIS AFTER ME? "I AM BLESSED. I AM PROSPEROUS. I AM HEALTHY. I AM FREE. I HAVE THE FAVOR OF GOD. MY CHILDREN ARE MIGHTY IN THE LAND. MY DREAMS ARE COMING TO PASS. NEW DOORS ARE OPENING. PROBLEMS ARE TURNING AROUND. I'M EXCITED ABOUT MY FUTURE. I WILL BECOME ALL GOD'S CREATED ME TO BE IN JESUS'S NAME." IF YOU RECEIVE IT, CAN YOU GIVE THE LORD AN AMEN TODAY? AMEN. I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE JESUS THE LORD OF YOUR LIFE. WOULD YOU PRAY WITH ME? JUST SAY, "LORD JESUS, I REPENT OF MY SINS. COME INTO MY HEART. I MAKE YOU MY LORD AND SAVIOR." IF YOU PRAYED THAT SIMPLE PRAYER, WE BELIEVE YOU GOT BORN AGAIN. GET IN A GOOD BIBLE-BASED CHURCH. KEEP GOD FIRST PLACE. YOUR PARTNERSHIP MAKES THIS MINISTRY POSSIBLE. YOUR FAITHFUL AND CONSISTENT MONTHLY SUPPORT MAKES YOU A CHAMPION OF HOPE. THE VISION OF JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES IS TO USE EVERY AVENUE AVAILABLE TO PRESENT THE HOPE OF JESUS CHRIST TO PEOPLE EVERYWHERE. WE KNOW IT IS THIS HOPE AND THE TRANSFORMING POWER OF THE GOSPEL THAT MAKES AN ETERNAL DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES. TO PARTNER WITH JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES, VISIT JOELOSTEEN.COM/PARTNER TODAY.
