REPROGRAMMING YOUR MIND - JOEL OSTEEN

"I am not who the critics say I am.

I am who God says I am."

~Pastor Joel Osteen

Saturday June 21, 2014
Lakewood Church

Joke: Elderly couple on swing on 50th anniversary. Man said “Our love is tried and true”. He had to repeat it for his hard of hearing wife until he shouted it. Wife said “Well fine I’m sick of you too.”


Key Scripture: Joshua 1:8
Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

REPROGRAMMING YOUR MIND

Our minds are like computers.
You can have the fastest most powerful computer but it won’t function well without the right software.
We know how PC viruses contaminate a computer.
Not because the PC is bad; but someone reprogrammed the software.
God created you as a masterpiece.
With the right software.
To be victorious, confident, strong, creative, able to do all things thru Christ.
You were programmed to live a victorious, abundant, faith-filled life.
Too often we’ve allowed viruses to contaminate us.
I’ve had this addiction too long.
I’m not attractive.
I’ll never get free.
The good news is there’s nothing wrong with you.
You aren’t defective.
It’s your software.
Get rid of the viruses.
Say what your Creator says.
I’m blessed.
I’m valuable.
Get back to your original software.
Learn to hit delete.
When negative thoughts come – delete.
You’ve seen your best days, it’s all down here – delete.
The path of the righteous gets brighter and brighter. [Proverbs 4:18]
I will live and not die. [Psalm 118:17]
You won’t accomplish your dreams – delete.
I am fearfully and wonderfully made. [Psalm 139:14]
You’ll always be an alcoholic – delete.
Whom the son sets free is free indeed. [John 8:36]
When Joel stepped up as pastor every thought said “you’ll fail”.
He had to keep hitting delete.
One Sunday after service he overheard 2 ladies: “He’s not as good as his father.” “Yes I don’t think he’ll make it.”
But God gives grace for every season. [2 Corinthians 9:8]
Joel said those 2 ladies don’t define my destiny.
God said I AM well able. [Numbers 13:30]
Every time he heard their voices – delete.
Scripture tells us to guard our minds.
You can dwell on the negative or choose to delete it and say what God says about you.
Those ladies’ comments could’ve contaminated Joel’s thoughts, and self-esteem, and future.
If the enemy can control your thinking he can control your whole life.
If you go around thinking you’re not talented you’ll never have the confidence to step into your destiny.
If you think you’ve reached your limits you have.
You can still become everything God’s created you to be.
Clear out all the negative things people have said about you.
You have exactly what you need for the race designed for you. [Ephesians 1:11]
Maybe you need to clear out what an ex said.
Perhaps you need to clear out what a parent said.
You are destined to leave your mark on the generation.
A study showed children who were bullied in school were impacted many years later.
Man was overweight as a child and teased and bullied.
He let those words take root and they were keeping him in mediocrity.
You get to determine whether or not that seed takes root.
This is why it’s important to be disciplined in your thoughts.
Water the good seeds.
Too often we’re watering the wrong seeds.
You have complete control over what seeds take root in your soil.
Don’t blame others.
Let them talk — you control your own soil.
Joshua said if you’ll meditate on what God says about you day and night you’ll prosper and have good success. [Joshua 1:8]
When you meditate on the good that’s what will become a reality.
Someone may have spoken negative words over you – just delete it.
I’m not who the critics say I am.
I am who God says I am.
And we can do what God says we can do.
We’ve been programmed for victory.
To reign in life. [Romans 5:17]
To overcome obstacles. [Romans 8:37]
We will accomplish our dreams.
We will meet the right people.
The real battle is taking place in your mind.
Little children start out so excited about life.
With big dreams.
They believe they can do anything.
They’re thinking hasn’t become contaminated.
As they age they get reprogrammed.
They get squeezed into their environment.
Things make them feel inferior.
Before long they start thinking average thoughts.
When we find ourselves in a rut ask “Why do I feel this way?”
Who programmed me to think like this?
Could it be you’ve accepted a wrong mindset because of your environment?
Just because it seems normal doesn’t mean it is.
Sometimes we learn to function in our dysfunction.
God created you to rise higher.
You’ve got to reprogram your thinking.
In news dog was pregnant and got hit by a car.

She slowly recovered but when she walked she dragged her back legs.
She had healthy puppies but they started walking just like her; dragging their back legs.
Doctor said they were fine.
Those puppies were simply copying their mother.
That’s all they’d seen modeled.
Too often we copied people who were dragging their back legs.
We let their struggles become our struggles.
We saw them accept mediocrity and we accepted it as normal.
There’s nothing wrong with your back legs.
If you’d get your thinking straightened out you’ll straighten out your legs.
You were destined to live an abundant faith filled life. [John 10:10]
You are the head and not the tail. [Deuteronomy 28:13]
Programmed for excellence not lack and struggle.
This is what his father John Osteen had to do.
He had no money or education.
Programmed with poverty.
He could’ve settled there, but when he gave his life to Christ at 17 he reprogrammed his thinking.
This is where I am, but it is not who I am.
I am a child of the Most High God,
God is making a way where I don’t see a way.
I will fulfill my destiny,
That’s how he rose out of poverty and set a new standard for their family,
Get rid of those viruses.
If you’ll keep hitting delete you’ll break out of bondage.
You’ll step into abundance.
This is a new day.
Get ready for God to do something new.
This sounds good but the experts say I’ll never get well/wealthy/further.
The experts can be wrong.
The experts said Ms. Dodie had only a few weeks to live but 33 yrs later she’s going strong.
The experts said they wouldn’t get the Compaq center.
The experts say the bumble bee shouldn’t be able to fly.
If you don’t think you’ll be successful then you won’t.
When Carl Lewis was training for Olympics the experts said no person can jump over 30 feet.

Carl said he didn’t listen to the experts.
That same year he jumped over 30 feet and broke the world record.
The experts may have told you it won’t work out but God has the final say.
Delete what the naysayers have told you.
Get back to your original software.
Who told you that you can’t be successful?
I can assure you that did not come from your Creator.
Don’t let what anyone told/showed you limit your life.
All thru the day meditate on your Creator’s words.
Every virus is being cleared out even now.
You will have good success and prosper in everything you do, in Jesus’ name.

[Prayer]