EVEN NOW FAITH - JOEL OSTEEN

"He’s an even now God but you have to have even now faith.
God meets us at the level of our expectations."

Pastor Joel Osteen

Joke: Scientist said God we no longer need you. I challenge you to a Man-making contest. The rule is you make man out of dirt. God said GO GET YOUR OWN DIRT.

Bible confession:

Key Scripture: John 11:21-22
“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

EVEN NOW FAITH

We all face situations that look like they’ll never work out.
The odds are against us and we’re tempted to settle where we are.
We think "It wasn’t meant to be…"
Martha faced such a situation.
Her brother Lazarus was sick.
Jesus was in another city and delayed.
They waited for Jesus to come but 3 days went by and no Jesus.
Finally worse nightmare comes true – Lazarus dies.
They knew Jesus could’ve healed him.
They’d seen miracles.
4 days after the request and after Lazarus died Jesus showed up.
Has it ever seemed like Jesus showed up too late?
Jesus how could You do this to us?
Why didn’t You show up when we had an emergency?
But instead of complaining Martha said “If You’d been here sooner he wouldn’t have died, but even now God will do whatever You ask.”
He’s been dead for days but You can still raise him.
There will be times when we have to have even now faith.
The medical report doesn’t look good but even now…
When it looks impossible, and the odds are against you don’t complain.
Have even now faith.
Even now God You can do it.
God I’m bold enough to believe like Martha You have the final say.
Nothing’s too hard for You.
I may not see a way but I know You have a way.
When you have even now faith God will move heaven and earth to help you.
God is saying I CAN STILL PROSPER YOU.
I CAN STILL GIVE YOU THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART
Joel knows a young lady Vanessa who experienced terrible joint pain.
Surgery didn’t help.
She looked like an old woman, hunched over, barely able to walk.
It took her 45 minutes to walk from the parking lot to church seat.
She got up at 3 am to get to work at 8.
It was genetic.
Her father died of it at 43.
Her grandmother was a paraplegic.
She could’ve said “it’s in my DNA”.
But she had even now faith.
Even though it looks impossible, it’s a new day.
God I believe even now despite what’s been passed down You made my body and You can heal me.
It didn’t happen overnight but she kept getting better little by little.
Today she is healthy.
Joel everybody in my family is depressed.
But you can say Lord I believe even now You’re freeing me from depression.
Addictions may have been passed down to you but you can end it.
God You are freeing me even now.
I come from the wrong side of the tracks.
No such thing as the wrong side of the tracks.
God put seeds of greatness in you.
It may have been that way in the past but you’re the difference maker.
Lord I thank You that even now You’re prospering me.
He’s an even now God but you have to have even now faith.
God meets us at the level of our expectations.
If you don’t expect to be free then you’ll get stuck where you are.
The medical report says I won’t get well,
But God I believe even now Your power is greater than any power trying to stop me.
Lord You said what was meant for my harm will work for my good.
I still believe…
I can accomplish my dreams.
...Step into the fullness of my destiny.
This is what Moses did.
They came to a dead-end at the Red Sea.
Moses didn’t complain.
He said it looks impossible but I know even now You can deliver us.
Abraham and Sarah were too old to have a baby.
All the odds were against them.
But God even now You can give us this baby.
You can make a way.
At almost 100 they had that baby.
Sister Lisa was born with something like Cerebral Palsy.
Doctors said she’d never walk or talk and would need 24 hour care.
They didn’t get bitter and complain.
They said God this doesn’t look possible in the natural.
Even now we believe You can heal our daughter.
It didn't happen overnight but today she's as healthy as can be.
How different life would be if they’d just accepted it.
If you want to overcome challenges you have to have even now faith.
When you don’t see a way say God I know You still have a way.
It’s significant that Jesus waited 4 days to pray for Lazarus.
There’s always a reason for a delay.
Sometimes it’s just a test of our faith.
If Martha had gotten bitter, angry and complained, she could’ve stopped the miracle.
Can you pass the test of staying in faith when you don’t see anything happening?
When God is silent?
When you’re calling out to Him and don’t hear anything?
Joel I believed 5 years ago that I would get out of debt but not now.
How you wait will determine whether or not that situation changes.
Take me to the place where you buried him.
Take me to the place where you gave up.
If you don’t go back to that place and stir up your faith it will tie the hands of almighty God.
Is my God bigger than this problem?
Is my God more powerful than this sickness?
Is He still Jehovah Jireh?
Jehovah Rapha?
One angel destroyed over 180,000 enemies. [2 Kings 19:35]
God knows how to get you to your destiny.
Martha said no he stinks; he’s been dead for 4 days.
Maybe you went through some stinky stuff.
But unless you’re willing to deal with it God can’t deliver you from it
Failure is an event; it’s not who you are.
You are a child of the Most High God.
If one dream dies you have to dream another dream.
Man failed state bar twice and didn’t want to take it again.
If God is going to resurrect that dream you’ve got to roll away the stone. [John 11:39]
That’s not the end of your story.
God didn’t give you the promise to tease you and talk you halfway there.
He’s closely watching you.
This is a test.
What will you do?
Get discouraged and settle?
Roll away the stone, deal with the stinky stuff
The young man passed the bar on the 3rd time.
God knows how to resurrect dead dreams.
Jesus he’s been dead for 4 days…
Get rid of the excuses.
We serve a supernatural God.
Keep passing the test.
Keep doing the right thing.
If you will do what you can God will do what you can’t.
Sometimes God delays on purpose.
So you and all your critics won’t be able to deny the great thing God did in your life.
Mary and Martha were upset at first.
But all along God knew what He was doing.
He wasn’t planning a healing but a resurrection.
God is planning something even better.
A few years after Pastor John Osteen died they needed a new building.
They found a tract of land near the original church.
No one had even made an offer on it in 20 years.
Joel just knew God saved it for him.
But on closing day they found out the man sold the property to someone else.
Joel thought it was the devil.
This happened again, someone sold another property out from under them.
It was tempting to give up.
6 months later there was a stirring.
Joel said God I know You have the right place for us.
Compaq Center became available and he knew it was theirs.
3 years later they moved in.
He was praying for a healing but God had something better in mind – a resurrection.
Joel heard about a lady losing her home.
Prayed to make payments but couldn’t.
House put up for auction.
She was heartbroken.
She went to the auction where they sold her home.
She was weeping.
A lady asked what was wrong.
The lady bid on the house and won it.
She turned to the lady and said I came to buy a house for my son, but I know God sent me here to buy your house for you.
She gave her the deed.
Mortgage free!
Is there something you’ve given up on?
You think it’s been too long.
You’ve got to go back to that place where you quit believing.
Pass the test of staying in faith when God is silent.
If you’ll tap into this even now faith God will resurrect what you thought was dead.
You’ll see problems turn around in Jesus’ name.

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