"No matter what comes against you
when it’s all said and done you’ll still be standing."
~ Pastor Joel Osteen
Lakewood Church, Sunday July 13, 2014 11 am service
Bible confession
Key Verse: Psalm 92:12
We all go through difficulties and
things we don’t understand.
Being a person of faith doesn’t
exempt us from trouble.
We’ll all have rain.
The rain falls on the just and
unjust. [Matthew 5:45]
Jesus told parable about wise man
who built house on rock…[Matthew 7:24-27] [Luke 6:46-49]
The same storm came to both people:
the just and unjust.
If the story ended there it
wouldn’t make a difference to serve God.
Jesus went on to tell that the man
whose house was built on the rock was still standing.
When you honor God the storms may
come but you have a promise others don’t have.
You’ll still be standing.
The enemy doesn’t have the final
say; God does.
You may get knocked down, but not
knocked out.
It rains on all of us.
If you’ll stay in faith when the
rain settles and dust clears you’ll still be standing.
We can all look back on things that
should’ve defeated us.
That party lifestyle should’ve
killed you but mother’s prayers and you’re still standing.
God lifted you out of a pit and put
a new song in your heart and you’re still standing.
When you have a history with God
you don’t get discouraged by every difficulty.
About a year after taking over
church as Pastor Joel got word long time members were leaving.
These were people he’d grown up
with.
He was tempted to get discouraged.
He thought I made it through the
death of my father; I can make it through this.
I made it through my mother’s
cancer, fighting to get this facility, etc.
I can make it through this.
God said Joel don’t worry; they may
leave but I won’t leave.
Look back and remember what God has
done for you.
Remember how God has opened doors.
If He did it for you once He can do
it again.
No matter what comes your way when
the storm is over you’ll still be standing.
You have the DNA of almighty God.
You may get knocked down but you
won’t stay down.
You’re a child of the Most High God.
We had hurricane here in Houston a few years back.
All kinds of trees knocked down
everywhere.
They couldn’t withstand the
hurricane winds.
Only the palm tree was still
standing.
It was designed to withstand storms.
It can bend during the storm.
One can bend all the way to the
ground.
Bent for 6 hours and it looks like
it’s over.
But after the storm ends the palm
tree stands right back up.
God put bounce back in the palm
tree.
It’s just a matter of time before
it stands back up.
Psalm 92:12 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
The reason God said we’d flourish
like a palm is because He knew we’d face difficulties.
I’m putting bounce back on the
inside of them.
You may go through a season of
trouble but it’s only temporary.
And the bounce back will bring you
out better off.
Your house is built upon the rock.
You may be a little bent over right
now but it’s not over.
When the palm is built by the
hurricane you’d think that would weaken it;
But it actually strengthens the
palm.
When you get through that storm
you’ll be stronger than before.
God makes the enemy pay for
bringing you the trouble.
That difficulty won’t defeat you;
it’s going to promote you.
A friend had cancer 3 times.
It looked like he was done a couple
of times.
Joel’s never seen him complain.
Somehow he always bounces back.
The last time the doctors wanted to
harvest his white blood cells.
He said he’d give them twice the
number they asked for.
He declared it in faith daily and
sure enough it happened.
He beat cancer for the 3rd
time.
Sickness doesn’t determine your
destiny – God does.
God has the final say and He said
no weapon formed against you shall prosper.
A good man may fall 7 times but he gets back up. [Proverbs 24:16]
Don’t have a defeated mentality.
It rains on everyone. [Matthew 5:45]
But the righteous have something
the unrighteous don’t.
If you’ll stay in faith you’ll be
able to say I’m still standing.
Maybe you had a breakup; but God
brought somebody better.
A young couple lost everything in New Orleans and moved here to Houston.
They only had the clothes on their
backs.
They seemed numb.
The man’s company was closed – no
job.
Joel told them it was only temporary.
They kept coming to church every
week.
A couple of years later they
brought Joel pictures of the new home they moved into.
Better home, better job, etc.
That’s what happens when your house
is built on the rock.
Not the same – but increase.
Isaiah said when the enemy comes in
like a flood – that means when you feel overwhelmed. [Isaiah 59:19]
God raises up a barrier.
In other words, that trouble gets
God’s attention.
If you see anything bothering your
child you stop what you’re doing and go help.
When Jonathan was about 2 he pulled
things off the bottom shelf in the grocery store.
An employee started fussing at him.
Something rose up in Joel – God or
devil he wasn’t sure.
Joel is nice but if you mess with
his children you’ve got a fight on your hands.
That’s how it is with our Heavenly Father.
If you mess with God’s children
you’re messing with God.
God said Let there be light and
light came.
In the tough times you’re not alone.
The Most High God has got your back.
You can’t go through life thinking
about who hurt you and what didn’t work out.
Shake off the weak defeated
mentality.
A warrior doesn’t complain.
David suffered major setback. [1 Samuel 30]
Out protecting the territory but
men came and took wives and burned homes.
They wept until they couldn’t weep
anymore.
It looked like it was over.
David said this is not the end of
my story.
He encouraged himself.
Reminding him who he was and Whose
he was.
They said we’re going to go get
what’s ours.
They recovered all.
David’s greatest defeat turned into
one of his greatest victories.
The enemy won’t have the last laugh
– you will.
The forces for you are greater than
the forces against you.
There’s bounce back in your spirit.
A few weeks ago Joel was lifting
weights by himself.
Using a barbell and it was his last
set.
He was using very heavy weights.
4th rep was hard.
On 5th rep Joel got
stuck.
He tried to set weight down on
safety rails but Jonathan was home from college and had changed them.
Joel couldn’t get out.
He thought how long can he keep
this weight off him before it crushes him.
He contemplated what to do.
Joel you are not going to let this
weight crush you.
You are too young, good-looking,
etc. to die.
He pushed with all his might and
got left side to rail.
Finally got out.
When in tough times you can’t sit
around thinking about all the trouble.
Don’t let it crush you.
Have a warrior mentality.
Do what you got to do.
Squirm, wiggle, push – do what
you’ve got to do to beat it.
Joel told the weight it didn’t
defeat it.
Scripture says God has armed you
for victory.
Joel doesn’t know how he got out
from that weight.
God said push one more time and
watch what will happen.
Are you letting something push you
because you don’t think you have the strength to deal with it?
A man came up to car crash on
freeway.
He was about Joel’s size and ripped
car door off car to free man trapped inside burning car.
When you do what you’ve got to do
you’ll discover a strength you’ve never had.
Like the palm tree you’re about to
come back up again.
This is a new day.
God’s done it in the past; he’ll do
it again in the future.
Bounce back from bad breaks, debt.
God has the final say.
No matter what comes against you
when it’s all said and done you’ll still be standing.
[Closing Prayer and altar call]
[Closing Prayer and altar call]
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