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.



In 1981 it was cloudy when Ms. Dodie was diagnosed with cancer.
The report said she only had a few weeks to live.
But God had unexpected sunshine...
34 years later she’s still healthy and whole.
Voices tell you that you’ll always be depressed/addicted/etc.
God says it will happen suddenly.
Rays of healing, abundance and favor...
Do your part and get into agreement with God.
God is restoring health unto me.
No more “I never get good breaks”.
I’m surrounded by God’s favor.
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.
That’s not just being positive that’s releasing faith.
Matthew 6:22 “If your eye is pure, there will be sunshine in your soul.
When we worry/stress that stops the sun, and causes more clouds to roll in.
Let the sun shine into your life.
It doesn’t start with God; it starts with us.
Any moment things could change.
If you want to see the sun shine have expectancy.
Turn it around.
God I know You're in control of these clouds.

A friend of Joel’s had a difficult supervisor; nobody liked him.
He was a young man who could’ve been at the company 20 or 30 years.
Joel’s friend had a good attitude but in back of mind thought it would be a pain to deal with him for so long.
One morning the supervisor’s wife was transferred out of town by her job and he resigned.
Unexpected sunshine.

God knows how to suddenly change things.
He can suddenly open doors you never dreamed of.
The weather forecast may predict the same for a long time.
But we serve a supernatural God.
On your own you may be stuck, but you’re not on your own.
God controls the clouds/winds.
He doesn’t have to wait for the situation to resolve.
All the forces of darkness can’t stop God.
Don’t give up on what you’re dreaming of.

A Lakewood member had a major stroke and was told he wouldn’t walk or talk again.
It looked cloudy.
But he understood the principle that God has unexpected sunshine.
He went to therapy daily and amazed the therapist.
16 months later he was back at Lakewood walking on his own 2 feet.
Was told he could never lift his left arm; but there he was raising both arms in the air.
What should’ve taken years God caused to happen quickly.
Psalm 112:4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.
Suddenly.
You didn’t see it coming.
It was the goodness of God that turned it around.
Maybe it’s cloudy in your life right now.
The key is you are the righteous; a child of the Most High God.
When you don’t see a way out God says light is about to break forth.
Imagine light coming bursting in.

A man knew the Lord as a child but got off course as a teen.
Most of his life he was high.
He brought the trouble on himself.
Even though he was making poor choices and turned away from God, God didn’t turn away from him.
One night in a hotel the man had been there 4 days doing drugs.
People were about to kill him.
He was barricaded in the bathroom.
Someone pounded on the door and he thought they were about to kill him.
When he looked up it was young people from Teen Challenge.
He was involved with them as a youth.
They heard he was in trouble.
Somehow they found him and burst in like Navy Seals in the middle of the night.
That was a turning point.
Today he tells his testimony in schools and churches.

Stay encouraged.
Maybe your child has gone astray and you're feeling hopeless.
Your child belongs to God.
Light is coming.
Deliverance is coming.
Freedom is coming.
God is not judging them by where they are.
The light will still come bursting in.
Maybe you’ve made poor choices.
It doesn’t say God will help the righteous as long as they don’t make any mistakes.
God I know you’re a God of mercy and still have unexpected sunshine coming my way.

In Numbers 17 there was a power struggle over who would be the next priest.
God said he’d show them.
Told Moses to take the staffs from the leader of each tribe.
The staffs were just old dried up pieces of wood.
Aaron’s staff sprouted almonds and blossoms the next day. [Numbers 17:8]
God can change things overnight.
He can take a situation that should take years to resolve and resolve it instantly.
God knows how to speed it up.
Don’t believe the lies it’ll never get better.
It may look dead, but God took a stick that had been dead for years and caused it to blossom overnight.
You can still accomplish your dreams.

A lady had been married for over 40 years.
She and her husband weren't getting along.
Counseling didn’t work and they divorced.
She decided to go to Lakewood Church.
Ex-husband decided to come also.
Usher took them to the front and put them in the 2nd row.
They received prayer.
After the service they went through the "wrong" door and bumped into Joel.
Husband said we just divorced after 47 years of marriage and we’re here because we’re hurting.
Joel gave them his new book and prayed with them.
Then they ran into the prayer partner that had prayed for them.
She ministered to them about forgiveness.
The wife released the hurt and their marriage was restored.
Today they are on the front row.
Happily remarried.
They were stunned at how quickly God turned things around.

Suddenly you get well.
-the break you need.
God will accelerate what you thought would take years.
God has the right people lined up for you.
You don’t have to figure it out; you just have to believe.
God already has the solution.
God I know You have unexpected sunshine coming my way.
Weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning. [Psalm 30:5]
At midnight it’s still dark; but it’s a brand new day.
Believe that you passed midnight and entered into a new day.
Don’t wait until you see the sunshine to thank God.
This is what faith is all about.
Faith says believe it, and then you’ll see it.
Turn it around.
God it may be dark right now but I believe I passed midnight.
Breakthroughs are coming.
Thank You for Your unexpected sunshine.

This couple was on vacation at the beach playing.
The woman felt her diamond necklace slip off into the waves.
They searched for it for hours but the water was too turbulent.
She was disappointed but didn’t let it ruin her vacation.
She went out to the beach and was thanking God and there was her diamond necklace under her foot.
That’s like finding a needle in a haystack.
God created the haystack.
God can turn your problems around.
Joel I don’t have the connections - God does.
You say there’s no way; God says “Yes way”.
Joel senses in his spirit the clouds are about to open up.
Do your part; let some sunshine into your life.
Light is about to come bursting in.
In Jesus name.

[Altar Call]

[Prayer]

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.