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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