[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'LL MAKE YOU FEEL RIGHT AT HOME. I LIKE TO START WITH SOMETHING FUNNY, AND I HEARD ABOUT THIS COUPLE THAT HAD BEEN MARRIED FOR 60 YEARS AND THEY WERE SITTING ON THE FRONT PORCH TOGETHER. FEELING ROMANTIC, THE WIFE SAID, "I REMEMBER WHEN YOU USED TO ALWAYS HOLD MY HAND." HER HUSBAND REACHED OVER AND TOOK HER HAND. SHE SAID, "I REMEMBER WHEN YOU ALWAYS USED TO KISS ME ON THE CHEEK." HE LEANED OVER, KISSED HER ON THE CHEEK. SHE SAID, "I EVEN REMEMBER WHEN YOU USED TO NIMBLE ON MY EAR." HE GOT UP AND STARTED WALKING AWAY. SHE SAID, "WHAT'S WRONG? WHERE YOU GOING?" HE TURNED AROUND AND SAID, "TO GET MY TEETH." 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 THE POWER OF THE BLESSING. WHEN YOU HONOR GOD WITH YOUR LIFE, THERE IS A BLESSING HE PUTS ON YOU THAT GIVES YOU AN ADVANTAGE. IT CAUSES YOU TO RISE UP WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES ARE TRYING TO PUSH YOU DOWN. YOU WILL RECOVER FROM AN ILLNESS WHEN THE EXPERT SAID YOU WOULDN'T. YOU WILL ACCOMPLISH DREAMS THAT LOOKED IMPOSSIBLE. IT WASN'T JUST YOUR TALENT, YOUR SKILL, DETERMINATION. THERE IS A FORCE BEHIND YOU FIGHTING YOUR BATTLES, OPENING DOORS YOU COULDN'T OPEN, BRINGING THE RIGHT PEOPLE. THOSE WEREN'T JUST GOOD BREAKS. THAT'S THE BLESSING ON YOUR LIFE. THE BLESSING WILL CAUSE YOU TO PROSPER WHEN OTHERS ARE STRUGGLING. THE BLESSING WILL BRING PROMOTION WHEN YOU WEREN'T NEXT IN LINE. THE BLESSING WILL CAUSE PEOPLE TO BE GOOD TO YOU THAT DON'T EVEN LIKE YOU. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS IN MALACHI, WHEN WE GIVE OUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS, GOD WILL POUR OUT A BLESSING THAT WE DON'T HAVE ROOM TO RECEIVE. IT DOESN'T SAY "BLESSINGS," PLURAL. IT SAYS "BLESSING," SINGULAR. WHEN YOU HAVE THE BLESSING, THEN ALL KINDS OF BLESSINGS WILL COME. YOU WON'T HAVE ROOM TO RECEIVE ALL THE GOOD THINGS GOD HAS IN STORE. WHEN YOU FACE DIFFICULTIES, THE MEDICAL REPORT, DOESN'T LOOK GOOD. YOU DON'T SEE HOW YOU COULD EVER GET OUT OF DEBT, EVER BREAK THE ADDICTION. ORDINARY PEOPLE WOULD COMPLAIN. ORDINARY PEOPLE WOULD BE WORRIED. HERE'S THE KEY, YOU'RE NOT ORDINARY. YOU HAVE THE BLESSING. GOD'S FACE IS SMILING ON YOU. HE'S GOING BEFORE YOU RIGHT NOW MAKING CROOKED PLACES STRAIGHT, MOVING THE WRONG PEOPLE OUT OF THE WAY, ARRANGING THINGS IN YOUR FAVOR. WHEN YOU KNOW YOU HAVE THE BLESSING, YOU DON'T GO AROUND UPSET 'CAUSE PEOPLE AREN'T TREATING YOU RIGHT, WORRIED ABOUT YOUR FINANCES, FRUSTRATED OVER A CHILD. YOU STAY IN PEACE KNOWING THAT IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THINGS CHANGE. YOU KNOW GOD BEING FOR YOU IS MORE THAN THE WORLD BEING AGAINST YOU. WHEN YOU'RE TEMPTED TO BE DISCOURAGED, THINK IT'S NEVER GOING TO WORK OUT, TURN IT AROUND. "FATHER, THANK YOU FOR THE BLESSING ON MY LIFE. THANK YOU THAT YOU'RE BREATHING IN MY DIRECTION. THANK YOU THAT YOU'RE TAKING ME WHERE I COULD NOT GO ON MY OWN." THIS IS WHAT DAVID DID. WHEN HE FACED GOLIATH IN THE NATURAL, HE DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE. GOLIATH WAS TWICE HIS SIZE, HAD ALL KINDS OF TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE. HE WAS WEARING A FULL SET OF ARMOR. DAVID DIDN'T HAVE ANY OF THAT. HE COULD HAVE BEEN INTIMIDATED, STAYED IN THE SHEPHERD'S FIELDS, COMPLAINED, "GOD, HE'S TOO BIG." BUT DAVID UNDERSTOOD THIS PRINCIPLE. HE KNEW THE BLESSING ON HIS LIFE GAVE HIM AN ADVANTAGE. HE WENT OUT WITH A SLINGSHOT AND A FEW STONES AND DEFEATED GOLIATH. AND WHAT YOU HAVE MAY SEEM SMALL COMPARED TO WHAT YOU'RE UP AGAINST, BUT A SLINGSHOT WITH THE BLESSING IS MORE POWERFUL THAN A TANK WITHOUT IT. YOUR TALENT MAY SEEM SMALL COMPARED TO THE DREAM GOD PUT IN YOUR HEART, BUT THAT TALENT WITH THE BLESSING WILL TAKE YOU FURTHER THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE. NOW, DON'T DISCOUNT YOURSELF. DON'T LOOK AT ALL THE REASONS WHY YOU CAN'T BE SUCCESSFUL, WHY YOU CAN'T PURCHASE A HOUSE, WHY YOU CAN'T BREAK THE ADDICTION. ON YOUR OWN, IT MAY NOT HAPPEN BUT YOU'RE NOT ON YOUR OWN. THERE IS A BLESSING ON YOUR LIFE PUT THERE BY THE GOD WHO SPOKE WORLDS INTO EXISTENCE. THIS BLESSING IS NOT NATURAL, IT'S SUPERNATURAL. IT WILL CAUSE THINGS TO HAPPEN THAT YOU COULDN'T MAKE HAPPEN. THE BLESSING WILL CAUSE OPPORTUNITY TO FIND YOU. GOOD BREAKS WILL CHASE YOU DOWN, PROMOTION, HEALING, VINDICATION. YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO AFTER THEM, THE BLESSING WILL CAUSE THEM TO COME TO YOU. ONE SUNDAY MORNING WHEN MY FATHER WAS THE PASTOR, I WAS IN THE TV PRODUCTION AREA AND RIGHT BEFORE SERVICE, I RAN DOWNSTAIRS TO SEE MY FATHER AND PUT HIS MICROPHONE ON. ON MY WAY BACK UP, I WAS IN A BIG HURRY. AS I CAME AROUND A CORNER, THIS MAN WAS COMING UP. HE STOPPED ME AND SAID, "JOEL, MY COUSIN HAS A CONSTRUCTION PERMIT FOR THE LAST FULL-POWER COMMERCIAL TELEVISION STATION IN HOUSTON. HE WANTS YOU TO BE A PART OF IT." THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN THE LOBBY THAT DAY. IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN 10 SECONDS EARLIER, I WOULD HAVE MISSED HIM. IF HE WOULD HAVE CAUGHT ONE MORE RED LIGHT ON THE WAY TO CHURCH, OUR PATHS WOULDN'T HAVE CROSSED. GOD HAD US AT THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME. I WASN'T LOOKING FOR A TELEVISION STATION, BUT A TELEVISION STATION WAS LOOKING FOR ME. WAS THAT A COINCIDENCE, A LUCKY BREAK? NO, THAT WAS THE BLESSING ON MY LIFE. I CAN'T TAKE CREDIT FOR IT. ALL I WAS GOING WAS HONORING GOD, BEING MY BEST, AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOUND ME. WE PUT THE STATION ON THE AIR AND SEVERAL YEARS LATER, SOLD IT FOR A HUGE PROFIT. THOSE FUNDS WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN US RENOVATING THIS PLACE, THE FORMER COMPAQ CENTER. GOD HAS THE RIGHT BREAKS, THE RIGHT PEOPLE LINED UP FOR YOU. YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIVE FRUSTRATED, TRYING TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN, WORRIED THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK OUT. GOD IS DIRECTING YOUR STEPS. HE'S GOING TO HAVE YOU AT THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME DOWN TO THE SPLIT SECOND. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO MISS WHAT BELONGS TO YOU. OPPORTUNITY IS COMING BIGGER THAN YOU'VE IMAGINED. WHEN WE SIGNED THE CONTRACT FOR THE TELEVISION STATION, I WAS SO EXCITED. I NEVER DREAMED WE'D OWN A STATION. I COULDN'T FATHOM ANYTHING BIGGER. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WAS JUST A STEP IN WHAT GOD WANTED TO DO. AS GREAT AS I THOUGHT IT WAS, IT WASN'T EVEN THE MAIN THING. THAT WAS JUST THE WARMUP ACT. BEING UP HERE, OWNING THE COMPAQ CENTER, SPEAKING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, THIS IS FAR BEYOND WHAT I EVER DREAMED. WHAT AM I SAYING? WHAT YOU THINK IS THE ULTIMATE BLESSING, GOD SHOWING OUT IN YOUR LIFE, CAN I TELL YOU? YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING YET. THAT IS JUST A STEP IN WHERE GOD IS TAKING YOU. THERE ARE LEVELS THAT YOU HAVE NOT EVEN FATHOMED, OPPORTUNITIES FAR BEYOND WHAT YOU THINK. YOU MAY HAVE SEEN GOD'S GOODNESS IN THE PAST. YOU CAN SAY LIKE ME THAT GOD'S BLESSED YOU, BUT YOU HAVEN'T TOUCHED THE SURFACE OF WHAT GOD HAS IN STORE. I WAS IN INDIA ONE TIME WITH MY FATHER. I MET THIS YOUNG PASTOR THAT CAME FROM A VERY POOR FAMILY. THEY DIDN'T HAVE RUNNING WATER OR A ELECTRICITY. THEY LIVED OUT ON THIS OPEN FIELD IN A LITTLE HUT. THE MAN NEXT DOOR WAS VERY WEALTHY. HE OWNED A HUGE FARM, HAD THOUSANDS OF CATTLE AND MANY CROPS. HE SOLD MILK AND VEGETABLES TO PEOPLE IN THE VILLAGE, BUT THIS MAN WAS VERY GREEDY. HIS PRICES WERE SO HIGH THAT MOST OF THE POOR PEOPLE COULDN'T AFFORD ANYTHING. ONE DAY ABOUT TEN OF HIS COWS GOT OUT AND CAME OVER TO THE PROPERTY WHERE THE PASTOR AND HIS FAMILY LIVED. THE MAN HEARD ABOUT IT AND HAD HIS WORKERS COME, GET THE COWS, PUT THEM BACK IN THE FENCE. THE NEXT DAY, TEN MORE COWS GOT OUT, CAME OVER TO THE PASTOR'S PROPERTY. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. THE OWNER GOT SO FRUSTRATED, HE FINALLY TOLD THE PASTOR TO JUST KEEP THE COWS. PASTOR WAS SO EXCITED, HE STARTED SELLING MILK AND PRODUCTS TO PEOPLE IN THE VILLAGE, BUT HE SOLD THEM FOR LESS THAN THE OTHER MAN. BEFORE LONG, PEOPLE WERE LINED UP AT HIS DOOR. HE WAS ABLE TO BUY MORE COWS. HIS BUSINESS GOT SO LARGE THAT THAT OTHER MAN CAME AND SAID, "I CAN'T COMPETE WITH YOU. WHY DON'T YOU TAKE OVER MY BUSINESS?" HE PURCHASED IT FOR A FRACTION OF THE VALUE. TODAY THIS YOUNG PASTOR HAS A LARGE BUSINESS WITH SEVERAL HUNDRED EMPLOYEES. IT ALL STARTED WHEN THOSE COWS CAME TO HIS PROPERTY AND WOULDN'T LEAVE. HE COULDN'T HAVE MADE THAT HAPPEN. THAT WAS THE BLESSING ON HIS LIFE. GOD CONTROLS THE UNIVERSE. HE KNOWS HOW TO HAVE THE COWS FIND YOU. THE GOOD BREAKS, THE PROPERTY, THE CONTRACTS, THE BUSINESSES, THEY'RE GOING TO COME LOOKING FOR YOU. "WELL JOEL, THIS IS KIND OF FAR OUT." WE SERVE A FAR-OUT GOD. HIS BLESSING ON YOUR LIFE IS GOING TO DO FAR-OUT THINGS. AFTER ALL, IT'S FAR OUT HAVING CHURCH IN THE FORMER COMPAQ CENTER. IT'S FAR OUT THAT MY MOM IS STILL ALIVE 37 YEARS AFTER BEING DIAGNOSED WITH TERMINAL CANCER. IT'S FAR OUT FOR ME TO BE UP HERE IN FRONT OF YOU HAVING NO FORMAL TRAINING. GET READY FOR SOME FAR-OUT FAVOR, FAR-OUT BLESSING, FAR-OUT OPPORTUNITY, FAR-OUT PROMOTION. GOD SAID, "YOU WON'T HAVE ROOM TO RECEIVE IT." HE'S GOING TO DO THINGS SO AMAZING IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU HAVE TO PASS IT DOWN TO YOUR CHILDREN. YOU CAN'T CONTAIN IT ALL. GENERATIONAL BLESSINGS ARE COMING, INCREASE THAT GOES TO YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR GRANDCHILDREN, YOUR GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, BUSINESSES, CONTRACTS, REAL ESTATE THAT CONTINUED TO BLESS PEOPLE LONG AFTER YOU'RE GONE. PROVERBS SAYS, "A GOOD PERSON LEAVES AN INHERITANCE THAT THEIR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN." THAT'S GOD'S DREAM FOR YOU. GET RID OF A BARELY-GET-BY MENTALITY. "I'LL BE SATISFIED IF I CAN JUST PAY MY BILLS AND MAKE IT THROUGH." THAT IS NOT YOUR DESTINY. THE BLESSING ON YOUR LIFE IS GOING TO CAUSE YOU TO LEND AND NOT BORROW, TO HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH. DAVID SAID, "MY CUP RUNS OVER." THERE ARE SOME RUNNING OVER BLESSINGS IN YOUR FUTURE, BLESSINGS THAT YOU CANNOT CONTAIN, INCREASE THAT YOU CAN'T USE UP IN YOUR LIFETIME. "WELL JOEL, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY OF THESE FAR-OUT BLESSINGS." STAY ENCOURAGED, THEY'RE ON THE WAY. YOU WOULDN'T BE HEARING THIS IF GOD WASN'T ABOUT TO DO SOMETHING AMAZING. HE'S WANTING US TO TAKE THE LIMITS OFF OF HIM. ENLARGE YOUR VISION. QUIT TELLING YOURSELF ALL THE REASONS WHY IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, HOW YOU'VE HAD TOO MANY BAD BREAKS, HOW YOUR DREAM LOOKS IMPOSSIBLE. IT MAY BE TO YOU, BUT IT'S NOT TO OUR GOD. START EXPECTING HIS FAVOR. START BELIEVING FOR NEW LEVELS. START TALKING LIKE IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. "FATHER, THANK YOU THAT YOU'RE BRINGING ME INTO OVERFLOW. THANK YOU THAT GENERATIONAL BLESSINGS ARE COMING MY WAY. THANK YOU THAT YOU'RE OPENING DOORS THAT NO MAN CAN SHUT." WE SEE THIS BLESSING IN THE LIFE OF JOSEPH. AS A TEENAGER, GOD GAVE HIM A DREAM THAT ONE DAY HE WOULD LEAD A NATION, THAT PEOPLE WOULD BOW DOWN BEFORE HIM. HE KNEW SOMETHING BIG WAS IN HIS FUTURE, BUT HIS BROTHERS WERE JEALOUS. THEY THREW HIM INTO A PIT. THEY WERE GOING TO LEAVE HIM THERE TO DIE, BUT THEY SAW A CARAVAN OF ISHMAELITES COMING. THEY SOLD HIM AS A SLAVE. HE ENDED UP WORKING FOR A MAN NAMED POTIPHAR. POTIPHAR WAS A HIGH-RANKING MILITARY OFFICIAL IN THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT. AND JOSEPH COULD HAVE BEEN BITTER. "GOD, I THOUGHT THE BLESSING WAS ON MY LIFE. WHY DID THIS HAPPEN TO ME?" INSTEAD HE KEPT BEING HIS BEST, TREATING PEOPLE WITH RESPECT, DOING MORE THAN REQUIRED. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS THE LORD WAS WITH JOSEPH AND BLESSED HIM GREATLY AS HE SERVED IN THE HOME OF HIS EGYPTIAN MASTER. NOTICE, GOD WAS WITH JOSEPH IN THE UNFAIR SITUATION WHEN HE WAS MISTREATED. WHEN HE WAS BETRAYED, THE BLESSING WAS STILL ON HIS LIFE. SOMETIMES WE THINK WE'RE NOT BLESSED. WE CAME DOWN WITH AN ILLNESS. WE LOST OUR MAIN CLIENT. A RELATIONSHIP DIDN'T WORK OUT. THAT DIDN'T STOP THE BLESSING. PEOPLE CAN'T CHANGE WHAT GOD PUT ON YOU. THE FAVOR DIDN'T CANCELED OUT BECAUSE OF A BAD BREAK. THE BLESSING IS WHY THOSE ENEMIES CANNOT DEFEAT YOU. THE BLESSING IS WHY THAT SICKNESS CAN'T TAKE YOUR LIFE. THE BLESSING IS WHY THAT SETBACK IS NOT THE END. IT IS A SETUP FOR WHAT GOD IS ABOUT TO DO. DON'T GET DISCOURAGED WHEN LIFE DOESN'T GO YOUR WAY. THE BLESSING IS STILL ON YOU. VERSE 3 SAYS, "POTIPHAR NOTICED JOSEPH AND REALIZED THE LORD WAS GIVING HIM SUCCESS IN EVERYTHING HE DID." VERSE 4, "SO JOSEPH NATURALLY BECAME THE FAVORITE OF POTIPHAR." JOSEPH WENT FROM BEING A SLAVE, UNNOTICED, INSIGNIFICANT, TO BEING THE FAVORITE. POTIPHAR WAS SO IMPRESSED THAT HE PUT JOSEPH IN CHARGE OF HIS WHOLE HOUSE. THAT'S THE POWER OF THE BLESSING. WHEN PEOPLE TRY TO PUSH YOU DOWN, IT WILL CAUSE YOU TO RISE UP. WHEN PEOPLE IGNORE YOU AND TRY TO DISCOUNT YOU, IT WILL CAUSE YOU TO BE NOTICED. I'M SURE POTIPHAR HAD OTHER PEOPLE WORKING FOR HIM THAT HAD MORE EXPERIENCE, BUT THE BLESSING ON JOSEPH'S LIFE CAUSED HIM TO STAND OUT. AND PEOPLE MAY NOT RECOGNIZE YOU YET. YOUR BOSS DOESN'T GIVE YOU CREDIT, RELATIVES DISCOUNT YOU, THINK YOU DON'T MUCH TO OFFER. YOU MAY BE OVERLOOKED NOW, BUT THE TIME IS COMING WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO BE NOTICED. PEOPLE ARE GOING TO RECOGNIZE YOUR GIFTS, YOUR TALENT, YOUR VALUE. GOD'S GOING TO CAUSE YOU TO STAND OUT. YOU'RE GOING TO GO FROM BEING UNNOTICED TO BEING IN CHARGE, FROM BEING NOT RECOGNIZED, TO BEING THE FAVORITE. HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN? THE BLESSING ON YOUR LIFE. VERSE 5 SAYS, "THE DAY JOSEPH WAS PUT IN CHARGE, GOD BEGAN TO BLESS POTIPHAR FOR JOSEPH'S SAKE." YOU WOULD THINK THAT JOSEPH WOULD BE BLESSED BECAUSE OF POTIPHAR, THIS PROMINENT OFFICIAL. IT WAS JUST THE OPPOSITE. THE BLESSING ON YOUR LIFE IS SO POWERFUL, IT WILL NOT ONLY CAUSE YOU TO BE PROMOTED, YOU TO BE NOTICED, BUT PEOPLE AROUND YOU WILL BE BLESSED. YOUR COMPANY, YOUR COWORKERS, YOUR FRIENDS SHOULD BE GLAD TO HAVE YOU. BECAUSE YOU'RE THERE, THEY'RE GOING TO SEE FAVOR, THEY'RE GOING TO SEE INCREASE. THEY MAY NOT EVEN REALIZE THE REASON THEY'RE BLESSED IS BECAUSE THEY'RE CONNECTED TO YOU. GENESIS 30, JACOB HAD BEEN WORKING FOR A MAN NAMED LABAN FOR SEVEN YEARS. LABAN PROMISED HIM IN RETURN THAT HE COULD MARRY HIS DAUGHTER, RACHEL. WELL, AFTER THE SEVEN YEARS, LABAN GAVE HIM HIS DAUGHTER LEAH INSTEAD. HE DIDN'T KEEP HIS WORD. HE SAID, "JACOB, IF YOU'LL WORK FOR ME ANOTHER SEVEN YEARS, THEN I'LL GIVE YOU RACHEL." JACOB COULD HAVE BEEN BITTER, STARTED A BIG FIGHT, LEFT THERE ANGRY, BUT HE TOOK THE HIGH ROAD AND WORKED ANOTHER SEVEN YEARS. HE FINALLY MARRIED RACHEL AND WAS ABOUT TO MOVE BACK TO HIS HOMETOWN WITH HIS FAMILY. VERSE 27 LABAN SAID, "JACOB, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME. I HAVE LEARNED THE LORD HAS BLESSED ME BECAUSE YOU ARE HERE." FOR YEARS, HE DIDN'T TREAT JACOB RIGHT. IT WAS UNFAIR, BUT NOW HE'S BEGGING HIM TO STAY. HE REALIZES HE'S BLESSED BECAUSE OF THE FAVOR ON JACOB'S LIFE. YOU MAY HAVE PEOPLE THAT DON'T REALLY VALUE WHO YOU ARE AND THEY HAVEN'T KEPT THEIR WORD. DON'T BE OFFENDED, BE A JACOB. KEEP DOING THE RIGHT THING. YOU DON'T HAVE TO CONVINCE PEOPLE TO LIKE YOU, PROVE TO THEM WHO YOU ARE. THEY MAY DISCOUNT YOU NOW BUT ONE DAY, LIKE JACOB, THEY'LL BE ASKING YOU TO STAY. THEY WILL REALIZE THE REASON THEY'RE BLESSED IS BECAUSE OF YOU. LABAN SAID TO JACOB, "I'LL PAY YOU WHATEVER YOU WANT IF YOU WILL STAY." JACOB KNEW HIS TIME THERE WAS OVER. HE LEFT, NOT ONLY A VERY WEALTHY MAN, BUT HE LEFT WITH THE RESPECT AND HONOR THAT HE HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN FOR MANY YEARS. GOD IS YOUR VINDICATOR. HE SEES WHAT'S HAPPENING. YOU KEEP DOING THE RIGHT THING AND ONE DAY GOD WILL MAKE IT UP TO YOU. IN THE LATE 1950S, MY FATHER WAS PASTORING A LARGE CHURCH, VERY SUCCESSFUL. THEY HAD JUST BUILT A BEAUTIFUL NEW SANCTUARY. HE WAS ON THE STATE BOARD FOR HIS DENOMINATION. HIS FUTURE LOOKED VERY BRIGHT, BUT HE STARTED TEACHING THE PEOPLE ABOUT HOW GOD IS GOOD, AND HOW HE STILL HEALS, AND WANTS US TO LIVE A VICTORIOUS LIFE. WELL, THIS NEW MESSAGE DIDN'T GO OVER WELL. IT DIDN'T FIT INTO THEIR DENOMINATIONAL MOLD AND THERE WAS SO MUCH OPPOSITION, SO MUCH PRESSURE THAT HE HAD TO RESIGN FROM THAT CHURCH. HE AND MY MOTHER WENT OUT AND STARTED LAKEWOOD. FOR YEARS, MY FATHER WAS IGNORED BY HIS PEERS. HE WAS OVERLOOKED, UNNOTICED. COLLEAGUES THAT HE USED TO GO TO LUNCH WITH, THEY JUST DISMISSED HIM, ACTED LIKE HE WAS SECOND CLASS, LIKE HE WASN'T UP TO PAR. MY FATHER NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THIS, BUT I KNEW DEEP DOWN THAT IT BOTHERED HIM. THIRTY-FIVE YEARS LATER, THAT DENOMINATION WAS HAVING THEIR ANNUAL MEETING HERE IN HOUSTON. THE MAIN SPEAKER SAID IN FRONT OF THOUSANDS OF LEADERS, "WE NEED TO STAY MORE OPEN. THINK WHERE WE WOULD BE IF WE STILL HAD JOHN OSTEEN WITH US." AFTER ALL THOSE YEARS, THEY FINALLY SHOWED HIM RESPECT AND ADMIRATION. AND NO, YOU DON'T NEED PEOPLE'S APPROVAL. YOU DON'T HAVE TO THEIR SUPPORT, BUT GOD IS A GOD OF JUSTICE. HE SEES WHAT'S HAPPENING. IF YOU WILL KEEP HONORING HIM, THERE WILL BE A DAY WHEN THOSE THAT HAVE OVERLOOKED YOU, THOSE THAT ARE DISCOUNTED YOU, THEY WILL SEE YOU IN A NEW LIGHT AND GIVE YOU THE RESPECT AND HONOR THAT YOU DESERVE. WHEN JOSEPH'S BROTHERS THREW HIM INTO THE PIT, THEY TOOK HIS FREEDOM BUT THEY DIDN'T TAKE THE BLESSING. WHEN POTIPHAR'S WIFE TRIED TO SEDUCE JOSEPH, SHE RIPPED HIS COAT OFF AND LIED ABOUT HIM, FALSELY ACCUSED HIM. SHE TOOK HIS COAT, BUT SHE COULDN'T TAKE HIS CALLING. SOMEBODY MAY HAVE HURT YOU, THEY BETRAYED YOU, THEY LEFT YOU OUT, BUT THEY DIDN'T STOP YOUR DESTINY. A MAN TOLD ME RECENTLY HOW HIS COMPANY LET HIM GO AFTER MANY YEARS. SOMEBODY WAS JEALOUS AND SPREAD ALL THESE RUMORS AND LONG STORY SHORT, HE UNFAIRLY LOST HIS POSITION. I TOLD HIM WHAT I'M TELLING YOU, THEY MAY HAVE TAKEN YOUR JOB, BUT THEY DIDN'T TAKE YOUR BLESSING. PEOPLE CANNOT STOP WHAT GOD PUT ON YOU. YOU KEEP HONORING GOD, BEING YOUR BEST, AND THE BLESSING WILL ALWAYS OVERRIDE WHAT PEOPLE HAVE DONE. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, "WHAT GOD HAS BLESSED, NO PERSON CAN CURSE." THE BLESSING ON YOU IS MORE POWERFUL THAN ANY BETRAYAL, THAN HOW YOU WERE RAISED, THAN PEOPLE TRYING TO DISCREDIT YOU. QUIT FOCUSING ON WHAT YOU'VE LOST AND START FOCUSING ON WHAT YOU HAVE LEFT. THE BLESSING IS STILL ON YOUR LIFE. YOU ARE BLESSED IN THE CITY, AND BLESSED IN THE COUNTRY. YOU ARE BLESSED WHEN YOU GO IN AND BLESSED WHEN YOU COME OUT. THAT MEANS YOU ARE BLESSED WHEN THINGS ARE GOING YOUR WAY AND BLESSED WHEN THEY'RE NOT GOING YOUR WAY. YOU ARE BLESSED WHEN YOU'RE IN THE PALACE AND YOU'RE STILL BLESSED WHEN YOU'RE IN THE PIT. HERE'S THE KEY, THE BLESSING DID NOT COME FROM PEOPLE SO IT CANNOT BE TAKEN AWAY BY PEOPLE. IN NUMBERS CHAPTER 22, THIS KING WAS TRYING TO PAY A PROPHET TO CURSE THE ISRAELITES. THREE TIMES THE PROPHET TOLD THE KING, "NO MATTER HOW MANY YOU PAY, I CANNOT CURSE WHAT GOD HAS ALREADY BLESSED." WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND THIS, YOU WON'T LIVE UPSET 'CAUSE SOMEBODY'S TALKING ABOUT YOU, FRUSTRATED 'CAUSE YOU HAD A BAD BREAK, OFFENDED BECAUSE THEY LEFT YOU OUT. YOU KNOW EVERY FORCE THAT'S TRYING TO STOP YOU IS POWERLESS TO CHANGE THE BLESSING ON YOUR LIFE. IN THE 1500S, QUEEN ELIZABETH I WAS BORN. HER FATHER WANTED A BOY SO BADLY THAT HE CURSED HER AT BIRTH. THE POPE DECLARED HER ILLEGITIMATE BECAUSE HER FATHER HAD BEEN DIVORCED. HER HALF SISTER FALSELY ACCUSED HER AND HAD HER IMPRISONED IN THE TOWER OF LONDON. ALL THESE PEOPLE CAME AGAINST HER FROM CHILDHOOD, BUT PEOPLE DON'T DETERMINE YOUR DESTINY. WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT YOU CANNOT STOP YOUR PURPOSE. AND ELIZABETH HAD A ROUGH START, BUT THAT DIDN'T KEEP HER FROM BECOMING WHO SHE WAS CALLED TO BE. SHE WENT ON TO SERVE AS THE QUEEN FOR 45 YEARS. SHE REFORMED THE JUSTICE SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE RECEIVED A FAIR TRIAL. PERHAPS PEOPLE HAVE TRIED TO HOLD YOU BACK, FAMILY HASN'T SUPPORTED YOU, YOU COULD BE DISCOURAGED, SETTLE WHERE YOU ARE, BUT LIKE HER, SHE BLESSING ON YOUR LIFE IS GOING TO OVERRIDE WHAT'S TRYING TO STOP YOU. GOD SAID IN PSALMS, "TOUCH NOT MY ANOINTED." YOU ARE HIS ANOINTED. WHEN PEOPLE COME AGAINST YOU, THEY'RE NOT JUST MESSING WITH YOU, THEY'RE MESSING WITH THE GOD WHO PUT THE BLESSING ON YOU. THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU DON'T HAVE TO FIGHT THOSE BATTLES. YOU HAVE A DEFENDER. DON'T TRY TO DO IT IN YOUR OWN STRENGTH, STAND STILL AND YOU WILL SEE THE DELIVERANCE OF THE LORD. I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYONE WHO'S TRIED TO STOP ME, DISCREDIT ME, KEEP ME FROM MY PURPOSE, CONTINUE TO SUCCEED. IT MAY HAVE BEEN A YEAR, FIVE YEARS, TEN YEARS BUT EVENTUALLY THEY FADE OUT AND I'M STILL STANDING. IT'S BECAUSE THE BLESSING IS MORE POWERFUL THAN THE CURSE. WHATEVER'S COMING AGAINST YOU, WHATEVER PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO STOP YOU, THEY MAY SEEM BIGGER, MORE POWERFUL. THE SICKNESS, THE ADDICTION, IT CAN BE INTIMIDATING. STAY IN PEACE. THE BLESSING GOD PUT ON YOU IS MORE POWERFUL THAN WHAT'S TRYING TO STOP YOU. IN THE SCRIPTURE, KING SAUL WAS TRYING TO KILL DAVID. DAVID HADN'T DONE ANYTHING WRONG. IN FACT, DAVID WAS BEING GOOD TO SAUL, BUT SAUL WAS JEALOUS, CHASED DAVID THROUGH THE DESERT, MAKING HIS LIFE MISERABLE. SEVERAL TIMES DAVID HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE SAUL'S LIFE. HE SNUCK UP ON HIM WHILE HE WAS SLEEPING. HE COULD HAVE ENDED THE CONFLICT, DEFENDED HIMSELF, NOBODY WOULD HAVE BLAMED HIM. DAVID WOULDN'T DO IT. HE KNEW SAUL HAD BEEN ANOINTED BY GOD TO BE THE KING AND EVEN THOUGH DAVID WAS ANOINTED TO REPLACE HIM, HE STILL WOULDN'T HARM SAUL. HE UNDERSTOOD YOU DON'T TOUCH GOD'S ANOINTED. YOU DON'T COME AGAINST WHAT GOD HAS BLESSED. WHEN YOU FACE OPPOSITION, PEOPLE COME AGAINST YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET UPSET, TRY TO PAY THEM BACK. YOU CAN STAY IN PEACE KNOWING THAT WHEN THEY COME AGAINST YOU, THEY ARE TOUCHING GOD'S ANOINTED. THAT MEANS IT'S NOT YOUR BATTLE, THE BATTLE IS THE LORD'S. HE'S YOUR DEFENDER. HE'S YOUR VINDICATOR. YOU'RE LIKE JOSEPH AT TIMES, WE'LL GET THROWN INTO A PIT, SOMEBODY MAY BETRAY YOU, BUT THEY CANNOT KEEP THE BLESSING DOWN. THEY MEANT IT FOR HARM, GOD'S GOING TO TURN IT FOR GOOD. KEEP YOUR SHOULDERS BACK, LIVE WITH CONFIDENCE. YOU HAVE AN ADVANTAGE, THE BLESSING IS ON YOUR LIFE. AND I BELIEVE AND DECLARE THIS BLESSING IS GOING TO TAKE YOU FURTHER THAN YOU'VE IMAGINED. YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE FAR-OUT OPPORTUNITY, FAR-OUT PROMOTION, FAR-OUT FAVOR, THE FULLNESS OF YOUR DESTINY IN JESUS'S NAME. AND IF YOU RECEIVE IT, CAN YOU SAY, "AMEN" TODAY? I'D LIKE GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE JESUS THE LORD OF YOUR LIFE. WOULD YOU PRAY WITH ME? JUST SAY, "LORD JESUS, I REPENT OF MY SINS. COME INTO MY HEART. I MAKE YOU MY LORD AND SAVIOR." IF YOU PRAYED THAT SIMPLE PRAYER, WE BELIEVE YOU GOT BORN AGAIN. GET IN A GOOD BIBLE-BASED CHURCH AND KEEP GOD FIRST PLACE. 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.
