HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT? - JOHN GRAY

"God wants to know if there's someone willing to step out of their comfort zone and come after God with everything they've got."

Pastor John Gray, Lakewood Church Sat 6/13/15

Key Scripture: John 5:1-6  NKJV

HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT

It's a familiar story.
Used multiple ways.
John wants to come from a different perspective.
This man was in this position for 38 years.
John is 41 years old; almost his whole life...
38 years of watching others get healed, whole and free.
Every time he thought it was his turn someone else beat him to it.
Can't even move.
He endured 38 years frozen in a moment.
How would you react?
Have you ever prayed for something that someone else got?
Someone else got the promotion you prayed for without even asking.
You've been serving the Lord, faithful, taking care of your apartment.
Someone else gets approved for a mortgage.
Had your car for years.
Struggled with the gas tank ministry...
While you're sitting in the car (still grateful) believing for an upgrade, someone else gets a brand new car.
This man watched for 38 years while other people got healed.
That has got to mess with your mind.
What do you do when you thought it was your turn?
Can you still worship?
Is your relationship with God contingent upon your circumstance?
It's easy to worship at the beginning of a thing.
—and at the end.
But what you do in the middle determines what God can do with you for years.
Can anybody worship Him in the middle?
What brings breakthrough is aggressive worship.
We assume that because society and culture has changed perhaps God has changed.
If you don't praise God the rocks will cry out.
God wants us to come out from our comfortable place and say I'm coming after You.
How bad do you want it?
What does the man in that condition for 38 years think about?
Here I am stuck and so & so got his breakthrough.
After 38 years you might doubt a little bit.
There are those of us who've been waiting for less time and have doubts.
Can you be as passionate and committed before it arrives?
God is looking for someone who will say Lord if YOU never do it I'll still worship You.
Even though I'm still stuck.
You're not keeping me from a miracle; You're developing my character.
People don't like spoiled kids because they act entitled.
John remembers having only a little.
$7 in the savings account.
Now God's blessed him a little bit.
But he's acting the same way he did before.
Not fast to spend money.
He's learned the value of a dollar.
He knows what it takes to make it.
God wants some folks to understand I KNOW HOW BAD YOU WANT IT BUT DO YOU WANT ME MORE?
If I freed you from the symptom now you would never get free from the root.
Your problem is the problem behind the problem.
Getting free from symptoms is cosmetic Christianity.
People looking good on the outside but still broken inside.
Then Jesus shows up and asks DO YOU WANT TO GET WELL
When you stir something you stir in a direction/cycle.


Too many Christians are living a cyclical life.
Repenting for sins from 16 years ago...
Getting saved again.
You only get saved one time but the enemy keeps you in a posture of guilt.
My Son already paid for this; do you want to be made well.
Cycles need to be broken in the lives of many of us.
The Purpose of a cycle is to remove impurities so the body can be clean.
The woman with issue of blood was stuck in a cycle.
God says to singles some have been crying and complaining about lack of spouse but when I try to talk to you about the real issue you look the other way.
It's not a person you need; it's My presence.
Cycles will keep you in a posture of religious expression without ---
In your mind the cycle is completed because you came to church and did what you intended to do.
But it's about how God wants to interact with you.
The intimacy of the Word...
In front of thousands God speaks to you one on one.
Give God praise.

This man for 38 years was stuck.
The movies always show Jesus as a tender gentle man.
Here Jesus sounds frustrated.
He knew this man had been in this condition for a long time.
Hey do you want to get better?!
Do you want it?
If you knew your miracle was one foot away would you just sit there or would you say Hey I've been in this too long. When this water stirs I dare anyone to get in my way!
Sometimes religion will make you do things and it's really false humility.
Lord if it's Your will You can heal me.
Excuse me Lord, I've been serving and it's me standing in the need of prayer.
It's not humility that won't admit to need: it's pride.
You don't want it bad enough yet.
You think you can approach Me with religion.
Psalm 51:16-17 The Message
Going through the motions doesn’t please you, a flawless performance is nothing to you. I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered. Heart-shattered lives ready for love don’t for a moment escape God’s notice.

God says until that thing breaks your heart you'll never get free from it.
God wants to know if there's someone willing to step out of their comfort zone and come after God with everything they've got.
Do you want to be made well?
The man offered up an excuse.
Jesus said Rise, take up your bed and walk.
That bed was probably funky.
38 years...
Religious people don't want your dirt.
Jesus said I'll free you from the dirt but I want you to carry it because I want people to know what I set you free from.
God wants us to tell the truth about where we've come from.
And it didn't happen overnight.
And I had to have some prayer warriors around me.
I like Iyanla but she can't fix my life; I need the Holy Ghost to do it.
How bad do you want it?
When you want to get free bad enough you'll do 3 things.
1. offer up uncomfortable praise
2. an uncharacteristic pursuit
3. exhibit uncommon passion
You know the story of Barthemeus who cried out loudly to Jesus.
He cried out louder when the crowd tried to silence him.
Others don't know how long you've been waiting.
I'm going to give God an uncomfortable praise.
When I want it bad enough I'll engage in an uncharacteristic pursuit.
We can get too casual.
God is not casual; He is utterly holy.
He is awesome and nothing to be trifled with.
This culture of casual needs to become extinct.
Get back that passion you had when you first got saved.
When you have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb you will offer up an uncharacteristic pursuit.
Keep asking, keep knocking, keep going.
I'm not going to let it go until it shows up.
I know You won't let me sit in this always.
Jesus is the only way to the Father
— and he came to break the cycle of sin
Lord I'm going to stand right here like the woman who kept going to the judge until the judge changed his mind.
And I'll be here with a praise.
I'm going to church for a Saturday night praise.
I'm believing for breakthrough in my life.
The water is stirring; what are you going to do?
Will you remain in your position or will you get in the water?
Will you offer up an uncharacteristic pursuit?
How bad do you want it?
That's the sound of liberty.
The last thing you offer is uncommon passion.
We reserve our passion for those we know will respond.
When John sings love songs to his wife she can access his passion in a way others cannot.
God is saying all those times I saved and protected you and provided for you, do you think I could get a song, a hallelujah or something?
God is looking for somebody that will be as passionate for Him as they are for someone else.
John is not looking for loud applause; he knows worship unlocks the blessing.
Give God an uncommon passion.
The place of uncommon passion could be at your house.
We must take our praise and passion home.
If we're only praising at church then we are missing out.
God wakes John up early in the morning.
Some know, and God has been stirring you at a certain time.
Pray in your shower but don't let that 7 minutes be the substance of your quiet time.
Prove God I want You more than anything else.
More than being popular or being liked.
If I have You then I have everything I need.
After John picks up his bed he's called out for doing so on the Sabbath.
God will hit you with miracles you won't know where they came from.
God will do things that will blow your mind.
That's why it's called faith.
God is asking us the learned, and educated to lay all that down for a moment and come as children and say God I love you and I trust You for everything I need. If it doesn't come to me then I don't need it.
Jesus told the man don't sin anymore less something worse happens to you next time.
He healed the symptom then came back for the root.
If Jesus had been religious he would've called him a sinner first.
No, Jesus covered him with grace first.
Then came back and said let me tell you how you got stuck in the first place.
How bad do you want it?
People think for the man stuck for 38 years his paralysis was the problem.
Sin was the problem.
Jesus is dual action; He rinses and cleanses.

[Prayer]

Give us an uncomfortable praise, uncommon passion and uncharacteristic pursuit so we can get the things we can't get on our own.

[Altar Call]

[Benediction]

DISCLAIMER: This is not a transcript of John Gray's message, these are my personal notes which I share to bless others. They are not published nor endorsed by Lakewood Church or Joel Osteen Ministries.
Watch online at http://www.lakewoodchurch.com/pages/watch-online.aspx (while available).
http://www.joelosteen.com/Pages/WatchOnline.aspx  for older messages.

God bless you,

~Anointed Messenger of Anointed Messages

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SHAME OFF YOU - JOEL OSTEEN

"Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach-
Isaiah 54:4

Well it's been a while since I published sermon notes. I moved, and was without internet for a while during transition. The notes for this message were taken in April but I wasn't able to publish and share. Better late than never. :) I hope to return to sharing notes with you regularly again.
God bless you,
Anointed Messenger of Anointed Messages


Sun 4/12/15 8:30 am Pastor Joel Osteen

Key Scripture: Isaiah 54:4

Shame Off You

We all know the expression shame on you.
Woman had a baby and gave it up for adoption as teen.
Couldn’t sleep; kept hearing 'shame on you'.
People abused as a child blame themselves.
Many people are living in a prison of shame.
Blaming themselves for things that weren’t their fault.
God has removed our shame.
Whether it was your fault or someone else’s—
When the enemy says shame on you God says shame off you.
People don’t determine your worth.
Your worth comes from the Most High God.
Don’t be flippant, but don’t let shame follow you around.
The young lady asked if God would forgive her.
Yes but will you forgive yourself?
You have to tune out accusing voices.
God forgives you and doesn’t remember it anymore.
When someone has been abused for a long time they start accepting the blame.
They’re not only ashamed of what’s happened; they’re ashamed of who they are.
That’s how the enemy twists things.
This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt.
They couldn’t go in to the Promised Land with the shame.
God had to remove the reproach.
Whatever your Egypt is- God is rolling away the stone.
Let go of your failure.
The reproach has been rolled away.
When the thoughts say “shame on you” say shame off me.

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BLESSED BY YOUR ENEMIES - JOEL OSTEEN

 "God can use your critics — the people that are trying to push you down - to promote you."

~Pastor Joel Osteen, Lakewood Church Sat 4/4/15

BLESSED BY YOUR ENEMIES

Key Verse: Exodus 1:12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites

We know God can bless us.
But He can use our enemies to bless us too.
A friend that walked away…
A coworker trying to push you down
- all part of God’s plan to get you where you need to go.
Without Goliath David never would have taken the thrown.
God could’ve used King Saul to promote David.
But He chose to bless David through his enemies, not his friends.
God can use your critics, the people that are trying to push you down to promote you.
Goliath was created for David’s purpose.
Just as God has divine connections lined up for you, He has people who will try to stop you.
Goliaths that come across your path—
That opposition wasn’t sent to stop you but to establish you.
Everyone around you will see the favor of God on your life.

In 2002 they heard the Rocket’s stadium was up for sale.
Joel knew it should be for Lakewood.
A friend of his was at a business meeting and a man talked down Lakewood and how they should never get the Compaq Center.
The executive said to Joel’s friend "It will be a cold day in hell before Lakewood gets the Compaq Center".
But that conversation was ordained by God.
It made Joel even more determined to get the building.
He kept hearing the words “a cold day in hell” and they stirred him up.
Discouragers and haters can stir you up.
You don’t want to give your enemies the joy of seeing you defeated.
Not out of pride or spite but a holy determination.
God used that man that was against them more than Joel’s friends.
Joel needs to buy that man dinner – probably at McDonalds. ;)

If Joel’s enemies hadn’t criticized him so, he probably wouldn’t have been so driven.
David said God prepares a table for me in the presence of my enemies.
God doesn’t bring thru in private but in front of all your enemies.
Lakewood is situated on the highway where everyone can see it.
Maybe tonight you’re up against an enemy.
And not just people but your health, or finances, etc.
But God is preparing a meal in heaven.
Any minute God will say here it is.
So not only will all your friends see it but also your enemies.
You’ll live in a place of honor and influence.

God used Judas more than any of the other disciples.
It looked like a bad break, but without the betrayal there wouldn’t be a crucifixion.
We celebrate Mary giving birth to Jesus.
We celebrate the disciples that walked with Jesus.
But the one who sold him for 30 pieces of silver was just as important.
Don’t complain about betrayers.
If they walked away it was for your good.
If God allowed it, He knows how to work it for your good.
Jesus knew Judas would betray him but he didn’t try to stop it.
Go do what you’re going to do quickly.
He knew it was part of his divine destiny.
The longer Joel lives the more he realizes nothing happens by accident.

He was talking to a well-known minister who’d traveled the world.
His hometown newspaper never liked him.
Year after year they criticized him.
The minister said the newspaper kept him on his knees and gave him the fuel to prove they were wrong.
At the end of his life the newspaper celebrated his life.
God waited until the end to turn it around.
Some of the things we don’t like, we wouldn’t reach our highest potential if God removed it right now.
God strategically places the Judas’s and Goliaths.
Without the naysayers you wouldn’t become all you were created to be.

In the book of Luke 4 men carried a man and lowered him through the roof.
Jesus said “your sins have been forgiven”
The religious leaders were offended.
Jesus heard what they were saying.
To prove He was the son of God He made the man stand up.
If they hadn’t been murmuring and complaining, this man might not have been healed.
Because of their murmuring Jesus healed him.
You don’t have to straighten them out or fight battles that don’t matter.
Some of your good breaks happened because of those trying to stop you.
I thank God for my friends but I’ve learned to thank God for my enemies too.
You need to see every enemy, bad break in a new light.
It’s there to increase you.

Man said his business was going down to nothing.
His main competitor criticized him on the radio.
When he heard it brought new attention to his company and stirred up new customers.
God can use your critics to promote you.
He knows how to take what was meant for your harm and use to your advantage.

The boll weevil was destroying cotton crops.
The farmers couldn’t stop them.
One farmer said let’s plant peanuts instead of cotton.
Boll weevils didn’t like peanuts.
The crops took off.
They made more money in a few months than they made in a year off cotton.
You may be dealing with boll weevils but peanuts are coming.
Don’t complain about what went wrong.
Something you think is there to destroy you; God will use to push you to the next level.
God will make your enemies your footstools.
If you’ll stay in faith, God will use it as a stepping stone to take you higher.

At 10 they called Joel peanut because he was so small.
His baseball team was in an important game.
The opposing coach told the players to come in closer.
(He’s so small, he can’t hit)
Nobody was in the outfield.
Joel thought he doesn’t know who I am and what I can do.
I’m a child of the Most High God.
Joel swung like he was 10 feet tall.
It hit the back fence.
Homerun!

The next time he went up to bat the coach came out he said back up.
In the same way the enemy will come against you in your thoughts.
You don’t have what it takes.
You can let him talk you into mediocrity, or say you don’t set the limits for my life.
I’m full of resurrection power.
When you rise up in faith you won’t be defeated by your enemies, you’ll be promoted.
Philippians 1:28 don’t be intimidated by your enemies.

You and God are a majority.
When Jesus rose out of the grave He rose with all power and gave it to us.
When the Israelites were in slavery Pharaoh took away their supplies but expected the same amount of bricks.
The more Pharaoh afflicted them the more they multiplied.
Sometimes God sends a Pharaoh.
The more opposition the more you will increase.
We may not like it but we grow in the difficult times.
Confidence we didn’t know we had.
When you restrict the water on a hose more shoots out because it’s under more pressure.
When the enemy puts you under more pressure it will cause you to go further.
When Jesus was about to be crucified he went to the Garden of Gethsemane (the place of pressing)
Without the pressing you never get the valuable oil.
The valuable treasures God’s put on the inside.
Maybe tonight you feel restricted.
Like you’re being squeezed...
One day you’ll look back and say it was good that I was afflicted.
This enemy didn’t defeat me; this enemy promoted me.
It may feel like Friday but Sunday is coming.

 

[Prayer]

[Altar call]

[Benediction]

DISCLAIMER: This is not a transcript of Joel Osteen's message, these are my personal notes which I share to bless others. They are not published nor endorsed by Lakewood Church or Joel Osteen Ministries.

Watch online at http://www.lakewoodchurch.com/pages/watch-online.aspx (while available).
http://www.joelosteen.com/Pages/WatchOnline.aspx  for older messages.

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UNEXPECTED SUNSHINE - JOEL OSTEEN

 "The problem may be big but my God is bigger. My best days are still in front of me. Unexpected sunshine is coming my way." 

~Pastor Joel Osteen, Lakewood Church, Saturday March 28, 2015

Key Verse: Matthew 6:22 Living Bible “If your eye is pure, there will be sunshine in your soul.

UNEXPECTED SUNSHINE

It was cloudy for a long time.
Every morning Joel thought surely it’ll be sunny today.
Nope.
All cloudy.
It had been cloudy so long people started asking "When will we see the sun again?".
In life it gets cloudy in our lives/relationships.
Dark clouds for a man who struggled with an addiction.
We can think it’s always going to be that way.
One morning in Joel’s office suddenly the clouds opened up and the sun came shining down.
It was so beautiful it looked like a postcard.
It was a welcome sight.
Joel felt his spirits lifting.
The clouds dissipated and Joel heard in his spirit “Unexpected Sunshine”.
God has some unexpected sunshine for you.
Medical reports may say you’ll never get well.
But unexpected sunshine is coming your way.
Maybe you think you’ve reached your limits but one touch of God’s favor can thrust you ahead.
Those clouds don’t stop our God – He controls those clouds.
The clouds are only temporary.

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SECRET FRUSTRATIONS - JOEL OSTEEN

"Is there something you’ve been asking God to change?
Until God removes it don’t let it steal your joy or sour your life."
Pastor Joel Osteen, Lakewood Church
 

SECRET FRUSTRATIONS

Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 12:9

We can be blessed in many areas: health, family, job-
But have one thing/temptation in our lives.
One nagging health issue...
Outside we may seem fine but it’s nagging on the inside.

A Lakewood Prayer partner longs for a child and prays for others.
They bring their children back to show her, but her prayer goes unanswered.
Life is full of contradictions.
You’re helping others get well but you don’t get well.
If we’re honest we all have secret frustrations.
We know God could do it.
But it’s not happening.
We have to realize God is a sovereign God.
We won’t understand why everything happens.
We have to trust that God knows what’s best for us.
Keep the right attitude and it’ll work for you - not against you.

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IT ALWAYS COMES IN THREE'S - T.D. JAKES

"You can’t take flaky people into changing situations.

You have to be careful who you take with you all the way to the top."

~Bishop TD Jakes, Lakewood Church 3/8/15 

Text: Matthew 17:1-5
The Transfiguration
After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

IT ALWAYS COMES IN THREE'S

We get to see a private moment with Jesus.
In His inner circle.
Three guys.
You can’t take masses of people with you.
You can minister to 5000 but you can’t take 5000 with you.
There are many associated with you that can’t go up with you.
Jesus could heal masses but only took three men with Him.
You have to be selective about who you take with you when God takes you up.
The circle must get smaller or you won’t survive.
If you invert the pyramid you will fall down.
Peter, James, & John.
His boys.
The mountain of transfiguration is Mount Hermon in the Old Testament.
How good and pleasant…
The place where God commands blessings.
It’s a mile high in the air.
It's colder at the top.
At the bottom of the mountain they were in one climate but when they got to the top they were in another climate.

You can’t take flaky people into changing situations.
You have to be careful who you take with you all the way to the top.
Peter, James, and John have a track record with Jesus.
Why do people try to take people into intimate places who haven’t earned that right?
If you value yourself and your journey you won’t take just anybody with you.
I know they call you arrogant but you’re just careful.
You’ve been thru too much to make the same mistakes.
I’m not crazy – I’m careful.
They’d faced some storms with Jesus.
I like to go with people who will hang with you in tough times and places.
Everybody wants to ride around in luxury, but I need someone who will be there on the rocks, on the bus.
Jesus said if you suffer with me you can reign with me.
Alone with Jesus on the mountain top? Who wouldn’t want to go?
But are they ready to see it?
This is the place of change, transfiguring, metamorphosis.
Where you see things from a different perspective.
Eyes but cannot see…
God will take you places where you see on a whole different level.
You have to be prepared to deal with something called loneliness.
It becomes a lonely process.

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NO MORE EXCUSES - JOEL OSTEEN

"Take the hand you’ve been dealt and make the most of it. God sees every wrong. If you don’t let it become an excuse God will turn it around and pay you back."

~Pastor Joel Osteen, Lakewood Church Sat 1/17/15

Key Verse: John 5:5

NO MORE EXCUSES

It’s easy to come up with reasons why we can’t be happy,
Or accomplish our dreams.
Why we can’t overcome a problem.
The boss is rude.
The traffic is bad.
I was betrayed.
I have an excuse to settle where I am.
I lost a loved one.
As long as you’re making excuses you’ll justify staying where you are.
Excuses give us permission to settle for less than God’s best.

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THE RIGHT PEOPLE - JOEL OSTEEN

"Your friends should be sharpening you, and making you better."

~Pastor Joel Osteen, Lakewood Church, February 14, 2015

Key Verse: Proverbs 27:17
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

The Right People
Who you spend your time with has a great impact on your life.
There are God ordained people who will inspire us and make us better.
If you’re spending time with the wrong people you won’t meet the right people.
You’ll get stuck.
You can’t hang out with chickens and expect to soar like eagles.
Others' qualities rub off on you.
It’s time to make a change.
You won’t become who you were created to be if you don’t make changes.
Don’t hang around a hot-tempered person or you’ll become hot-tempered. [Proverbs 22:24-25]
Spirits are transferable.
If you hang out with a gossip, you’ll become a gossip.
That stingy spirit will get off on you.
If you hang around excellent people excellence will rub off on you.
Those same good qualities will become a part of your life.
Make sure people have the qualities that you want.
—People that inspire you to go further.
Joel has a friend that treats his wife so great.
It inspires Joel to treat his wife better.
We shouldn’t hang out with people who are disrespectful to their spouses.
We have to set boundaries.
If someone is always negative, critical, finding fault, then they’re not for you.
Be selective.
At work or home we don’t always have a choice.
But Joel’s talking about when you do have a choice.
Life is too short to waste time hanging with the wrong people.
—People without integrity.
—Always have a problem.
Surround yourself with eagles.
Proverbs 28:7 Young people who obey the law are wise; those with wild friends bring shame to their parents.
—People who aren’t adding value to your life.
You may be lonely for a season but God will bring you somebody better.
Psalm 1 don’t sit inactive in the pathway of the ungodly.
What if I hurt their feelings?
What if you miss your destiny?
Don’t keep going to the gym with the same people who are causing you to compromise.
Joel's friend met a companion in same field, and they decided to start a business together.
But the man was hot-tempered.
At the last moment Joel’s friend passed on the opportunity.
Several years later he met a man of great integrity and they started a successful business.
What you’re unwilling to walk away from is where you’ll stop growing.
God will never ask you to give up something without giving you something better in return.
There’s always a blessing attached to obedience.
Don’t spend time with people who bring out the worst in you.
Daniel had an excellent spirit.[Daniel 6:3]
And he had excellent friends: Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednigo.
He had friends that were people of integrity.
If your friends are Larry, Curly and Moe then you have a problem.
There is a principle called the law of the group.
We associate with people the way we see ourselves.
Complainers find other complainers.
Birds of a feather flock together.
Make sure you’re flocking to the right group.
Successful people find other successful people.
Young people, choosing the wrong friends can keep you from your destiny.
Find friends that will make something out of their lives.
20 years from now no one will care who was most popular.
I would rather have one friend with their head on straight than 20 mediocre friends.
In school the science club and math club members aren’t popular.
Geeks and bookworms later become bosses, judges, etc.
Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.
Your friends should be sharpening you and making you better.

Some friends are only in your life for a season.
You can outgrow relationships.
True friends will understand it.
They’ll be happy for you and celebrate what’s going on in your life.
You can’t try to hold on to something that’s over and done.
Sometimes people that knew you back when will try to keep you back.
Everybody can’t go where you’re going.
The higher you go the tighter your circle has to become.
Genesis 12:1-9.
Abraham left but he took his nephew with him.
They had a disagreement.
It could’ve been avoided if he’d left who he was supposed to leave.
How much heartache comes from refusal to leave those God told us to separate from?
Abraham and Lot had to split because of all the conflict.
Abraham meant well but just because someone is related to you doesn’t mean they’re connected to you.
God has a different assignment for them.
Maybe they’re at a different level in their growth.
This can be a very hard thing to do.
—Letting go of the people who are not supposed to be in your life.
There are family members and relatives who can’t go with you.
You have to love them from a distance.
For Abraham it kept getting worse.
They split but Lot’s family got captured.
Abraham went and rescued Lot.
Abraham wanted to be good to his relatives, out of the kindness of his heart.
How many times are we trying to avoid letting people down, but making wrong choices?
We shouldn’t spend a lot of time with people that are constantly negative.
That you have to keep them fixed.
Joel believes in helping people and being a blessing, but if you’re the one always giving don’t let others control you.
Until you put your foot down they’ll continue to manipulate you.
People are carrying the heavy burden of always trying to please people.
The man had 4 friends who lowered him thru the roof to get to Jesus. [Mark 2:1-5]
But you can’t spend all your time carrying others.
If you only have people around you that need to be carried that’s out of balance.
You need people that can carry you.
God has designed people to come into your life to lighten your load.
People that will use their connections to take you further.
Because you’re so consumed trying to carry the weight.
Sometimes it’s pride; thinking you can do it on your own.
What God has planned for you will take more than just your weight.
You need four friends to lift you up.
God has friends lined up for you that don’t need anything.
You don’t have to inspire them - they’ll inspire you.
Make sure you have people in your life that can carry you.

There is a little boy named Owen with a rare muscular disease. He looks much older than his age.
At 6 he didn’t want to go outside.
He became very depressed.
His mother saw a big dog on Facebook up for adoption.
He had been chained to a railroad track and lost one of his legs.
Owen felt an instant connection to the dog.
Owen loved to go outside with his 3-legged dog.
He wanted to enter him into a prestigious dog show.
He won for best rescue dog.
If God can bring a dog into a little boy’s life to cheer him up, how much more will God bring people into your life?
He has already lined up the right people to get you where you’re supposed to be.
What you’re unwilling to walk away from is where you’ll get stuck.
God is going to bring the right people for every season.

[Prayer]

[Altar Call]

DISCLAIMER: This is not a transcript of Joel Osteen's message, these are my personal notes which I share to bless others. They are not published nor endorsed by Lakewood Church or Joel Osteen Ministries.

Watch online at http://www.lakewoodchurch.com/pages/watch-online.aspx (while available).

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Christine Caine - Grace Church of Humble 8 Feb 2015

"What He has done for me is greater than what anyone has ever done to me."

Christine Caine, Grace Church of Humble, TX

Sunday February 8, 2015

Watch video at Grace Church website

Foundation verses from the book of Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 6
Why did God give us these laws?
He brought us out to bring us in.
Many Christians don't understand why God brought us out.
He brought us out to bring us in to a Promised Land.
God brought us out of slavery/sin, to bring us in.
Not so we could do laps around Mount Sinai for 40 years.
There is a Promised Land.
The Word of God is full of promises.
There's a because to our salvation.
If we're not free we can't free anybody else.
We need a generation of Christians who know the difference between deliverance and freedom so we won't die in the wilderness, but come out and go in and take a generation into the Promised Land with us.
Deuteronomy 1:
It takes 11 days to go from Horeb to Mount Sinai.
Verse. 3 says in the 40th year.
There's a disparity between 11 days and 40 years.
Many of us take 40 years for what should take us 11 days.
When you come out from something you always come into a wilderness.
Although you've come out of something, something has still got to come out of you.
I'm giving you 11 days to get Egypt out of you.
But 40 years later there was still the same mess, obstacles, and hurdles.
Christine went through a lot of abuse and rejection that Jesus saved her from; but she was still full of shame and bitterness, etc.
So God said I'll walk you through a wilderness to get that slavery out of you.
But I don't expect you 40 years later to still be doing the same thing.
I set you free so you could walk into the Promised Land.
So many Christians stop in the wilderness.
Spend their whole time on earth doing laps.
—the same poverty and greed...
Round and round.
Christians can't afford to keep doing laps in America.
We must be who God called us to be.
You were once slaves and now you're free.
I want you to walk in the fullness Jesus Christ came to give you.
Why is it someone like Christine was able to walk in the fullness of God's promises?
Did God favor her more than the Christian still locked in the cycle of abuse?
Delivered from the physical state but still in the wilderness metaphorically speaking.
The blood of Jesus is no more potent for Christine than others.
But you must believe Jesus is who He says and will do what He said.
It's about Jesus, and His power.
His grace, His mercy.
Get our eyes off our limitations.
But we make what was done to us bigger than what was done for us.
How do you do it?

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Wonder with Christine Caine at Grace Church

"We love God with our broken hearts, wounded souls, and tormented minds. 

—And you see God that way. And that’s how you end up loving other people."

~Christine Caine, Wonder, Grace Church of Humble TX Mon 2/9/15 

Watch video on Grace Church website

Christine had to get born again in the Houston traffic.
That’s a sanctification freeway.
She was vacillating between 2 messages.
A or B? Congregation chose B.
A was in her notes, B in her brains.

We don’t have time on the planet to play games.
Some have been serving Jesus a long time.
We need to get this; get to a place of being rather than doing.
We reproduce what we are; not what we pretend to be.
It's not all about doing whatever you want to do.

Do we want 613 Mosaic laws or 2 verses?
Women chose the 2 verses.
What’s the greatest commandment in the law?

Matthew 22:36-40 New International Version (NIV)
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

The whole law can be summed up here.
Love God with all your heart, mind, and soul.
And you can’t separate loving people from loving God.
Christine got a trainer so she would look fit in front of all the people at an upcoming conference after having a baby .
She had 8 weeks to get ready for the conference.
She was ready to start training but the trainer said no.
She had a C-section.
Lady said “Your core is weak”.
All you do stems from your core; if you start activity prematurely your body will eventually collapse.
Gave her a yoga mat and exercises.
Sitting there she felt Holy Spirit speak.
You have a spiritual core.
Body is weak on the earth because the core is weak.
We’re trying to do things from the outside in instead of from the inside out.
God doesn’t want us to act like Christians He wants us to be Christians.
Not pretending to be Christians.
Our core is love God with all your heart, soul, & mind.
And love your neighbor the same way you love yourself.
My body does love its neighbor as self, but they don’t love themselves.
We love God with our broken hearts, wounded souls, and tormented minds.
—And you see God that way.
And that’s how you end up loving other people.
So we put on an act because we don't know what else to do.

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TRANSITION - LANCE WALLNAU

"Without a clear ending you can’t have a new beginning."

Lance Wallnau at Encourager Church in Houston, Texas 

LANCE WALLNAU On Transition & The Church

Lance made us sit closer together.
The physical closeness has a psychological and spiritual impact.
What is God doing when He isn’t doing what you thought He would do?
We have a whole book full of info. (The Bible)
But He says to Peter you don’t know what I’m doing now but you’ll understand later. [John 13:7]
Just because you can’t figure it out doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you.
There are times when you don’t know.
Americans love to figure everything out.
When God is silent…
It means the next thing He’s about to say is important.
If you’re in a running conversation then you’re in the vein with God.
But if He doesn’t speak for 400 years you can be sure what He says next is important.
God sometimes does things we don’t understand.

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ALTAR EGO - JOHN GRAY

"Lay down the pride and ego and fear of being judged and bring your broken self to Jesus."

Pastor John Gray, Lakewood Church, Houston, TX 

Spoke blessings over Mama Dodie.
God has the power to break every chain.
Tasha Cobbs will sing next Wednesday.
Luke 17
To see Gods blessings we must take hold of some principles.
Can you really stand to be blessed?
Luke 17:11-17 NKJV
10 lepers asked Jesus for mercy.
The 1 that gave thanks was a Samaritan.
Leprosy was an Irreversible and incurable disease.
In this season miracles will happen for both believers and unbelievers.
That will give them faith.
Miracles take people off the fence.
Do you know anybody that needs a miracle?
Celebrate others breakthroughs.
Miracles coming in the next 2 weeks.
For some after many years of waiting.
The foreigner saw he was healed and gave thanks with a loud voice.
Some will get your miracle in a public place and you will be loud.
Nobody had to teach the Samaritan how to praise.
Your miracle will unlock something that was in there the whole time.
The other ones got their miracle and took off.
But there was one who understood that the altar they were going to was secondary to HIM.
Something has changed in me and I need to let Him know what He did for me.
I've just been set free.
I know I'm supposed to go to the priest but I have to praise Jesus first.

ALTAR EGO
The bible is the Word of God revealed.
The bible makes it clear that when you hear the gospel and respond something inside will shift.
When you accept Jesus as Lord and Savior things will change.
It takes a while to get your roots down.
That’s why Osteens say "give us a year of your life".
We need to lay down our ego and stop judging each other because without the blood of Jesus we'd all be lost.
Sometimes religious people want to see you changed overnight.
They expect you to know the whole bible overnight.
Your salvation is a personal walk.
There are times when the old man and the new man are at war with one another.
Its a war.
Have you ever wanted to do right but wrong was sitting right there?
The enemy wants you to be defeated and/or accept that it will always be that way.
If you’re struggling God loves you enough to apply the blood of Jesus to that area.
God is able to do it.
There’s also part of us that wants to "help" God save us.
I’ll give you these areas, but I’ll work on these other areas on my own
Our ego wont let us take it to the altar.
Note the man whose 4 friends brought him to Jesus. [Luke 5:17-26]
They laid him at the feet of Jesus.
It became an altar.
Whatever you bring to Jesus becomes an altar.
Son your sins are forgiven. [Luke 5:20]
Most people think the next thing was the miracle.
What’s easier: forgiving sins or commanding the lame to walk?
The man was still paralyzed but the thing that led him there (sins) was already moved.
Have you ever been saved and stuck?
Jesus handled your sin first because he wanted to deal with the inside first.
Otherwise you’ll be paralyzed again.
Jesus wants to remove the root of pride.
Pride makes us think we did God a favor by showing up here.
God is glad to see us but we ought to be more glad to see Him.
It’s time to stop following the crowd and run after Jesus.
Bring it to Jesus.
Lay down the pride and ego and fear of being judged and bring your broken self to Jesus.
I need to change from the inside out.
When you get saved your character should begin to change.
Salvation is not for you to keep the same sin.
At some point there should be signs you’re making a shift.
Every real altar has a full length mirror.
It’s real easy to see others sins.
Ask the Lord to show you you.
Altar ego...
The fight between the old man and the new man.
College level calculus attacks.
The Holy Spirit goes inside and moves things around.
Lord at what God does with you in the earth.
Your will is laid down for His will.
Our perspective submitted to His vision.
We want to feel like changing.
True change is not always what you feel.
We need the Holy Spirit to radically change us.
Removing the nature of our flesh.
This is the regenerating power of Jesus Christ, and it doesn’t come with religion - it comes with encounter.
Some people have spiritual leprosy.
Areas that will hinder Gods ability to deal with us.
Like offense-
Who has ever been offended?
We’ve got to trust God to get us free from things what would block our blessings.
Lord’s prayer contains the key.
Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others.
Lead us not into temptation.
The temptation is to hold unto offense.
I forgive you but I don’t trust you.
Ego causes us to live in offense.
I’m above being offended - I'm so and so.
E.G.O. = Edging God Out
That’s all ego is.
The fight is for the seat of your will.
If you have an issue with others go to them first before you go to the altar.
Go seek forgiveness first.
Get the issue right with them first.
Altar Ego
The altar is a place of sacrifice, humility, and worship.
Guard against offense.
The enemy wants you to walk in offense.
How would it be the character of God to give you heavens best when you’re acting like the devil’s worst?
Make the phone call tonight so you can get free.
It feels good to hold on to it.
"I deserve to be angry."
Luke 23:33
Father forgive them...
He couldn’t complete his assignment until he let go of offense.
John probably would've said "I’m innocent and they’re killing me - kill em Jesus."
Your flesh wants the people who hurt you to suffer.
Jesus couldn’t even die until he released people who offended him.
If Jesus had to do it then so do you and I.
There are some people you have to get right with.
Your miracle is on the other side of I’m sorry.
The devil stops by Johns every Wednesday at 4 when he has to preach that evening.
A wedge starts small and gets bigger.
When we allow it to get bigger it looks like it’s impossible to fix.
But nothing is impossible for God.
3 Things/types of altars.
Noah, Abraham, and David
Watch out for the wedge issues.
John demonstrated forgiveness to his wife by publicly apologizing to her.
The altar of Noah Genesis 8:20
It broke curses.
There’s an altar you can make in your home that will break curses.
I won’t curse the earth anymore.
I won't deal with man the way I dealt with him anymore.
Your altar could change your entire family.
John feels a breakthrough in here.
I don’t want a miracle if my character ain't right.
Altar of Abraham Genesis 22
Sacrifice that thing of value.
It’s an altar of obedience and faith.
God will ask you to do things that don’t make sense.
As he was going up one side of the mountain the ram was coming up the other side of the mountain.
You won't see the answer until you take a step.
The altar of David 2 Samuel 24.
David got caught up in pride near the end of his life;
—Counting his mighty men.
Threshing floor sacrifice to stop the plague.
There is an altar that will break pride.
Places where we have pride.
It’s time to lay it down.
We cab break curses and we can break pride.
Next week we will break every chain.

DISCLAIMER: This is not a transcript, but my personal notes which I share to bless others. They are not published nor endorsed by Lakewood Church or Joel Osteen Ministries.

Watch online at http://www.lakewoodchurch.com/pages/watch-online.aspx (while available).

Purchases of messages may be obtained from Lakewood Church: http://www.joelosteen.com/Pages/WatchOnline.aspx

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HEAVY WITH FAVOR - JOEL OSTEEN

"You didn’t get average favor. You’re heavy with favor."

Pastor Joel Osteen, Lakewood Church, Saturday January 10, 2015

Key verse: Isaiah 60:1 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.

HEAVY WITH FAVOR

God’s put something on you that you can’t accomplish on your own.
Something that will make you stand out in the crowd.
Psalmist said favor surrounds like a shield. [Psalm 5:12]
God is causing things to fall into place.
Isaiah said rise and shine for the glory of the Lord is upon you. [Isaiah 60:1]
Glory implies God’s favor is heavy upon you.
You didn’t get just a little favor.
You’re not a lightweight; you’re heavy with favor.
When you realize this it takes on a whole new meaning.
You’ll hold your head up high.
And pray bold prayers.
Expect doors to open for you that may not open for others.
To pay your house off...
Break that addiction...
You’ll arise,
And God will cause you to shine.
Maybe you’re heavy with worry or discouragement—
You need to get ready.
This is your due season.
Instead of being heavy with burdens you’ll be heavy with divine breaks.
Explosive blessings in your finances.
Shake off the discouragement.
You didn’t get average favor.
You’re heavy with favor.
Expect God’s goodness in new ways.

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IT'S YOUR DUE SEASON - JOEL OSTEEN

"This is your DUE SEASON! This is your year to see dreams come to pass, to see health restored, to see your breakthrough!"

- Pastor Joel Osteen , Lakewood Church

#641 IT'S YOUR DUE SEASON
We all have things we’re hoping for.
We have areas of our lives we want to see changed.
'I’ll just learn to live with it.'
Although it’s good to be content where you are, don’t stay there.
Stir your faith up.
God didn’t bring you this far to leave you.
You may not see how it will work out but God has a way.
Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Joel senses we’re entering into a due season.
A year of showing out.
Dreams you’ve been praying about.
Things will fall into place.
Problems you’ve believed to turn around – it's your due season.
You may have had that addiction for 20 years.
This is your due season.
Maybe you struggled in your finances-
Due season is here.
Promotion is coming.
Lack is not your destiny.
Keep believing, keep expecting, keep honoring God and your cup will run over.
Words have creative power.
Let these words take root in your spirit.
Your mind may try to talk you out of it.
Your job is to believe.
Yes God I believe it’s my due season.

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