Posted by Victoria Osteen on 10/9/2012

I can remember being a teenage girl and finally getting the keys to the family car. When my father handed me those keys for the first time, I felt so important. I knew I had earned my father’s trust. Those keys, though very small, represented power and new found freedom. Those keys gave me options that I didn’t have previously. Those little keys literally put me in the driver’s seat of life!

Well today, your heavenly Father has given you some keys, too. Scripture tells us that He has given us the keys to the kingdom. That means He’s given us access to His principles. He’s given us authority; He’s given us permission. He’s placed His trust in us. The problem is that many people have those keys in their hand. They say, “Yes, I have the keys! God is good; He wants to bless me. He is faithful. He loves me!” However, they haven’t started the engine yet. They haven’t activated His power. They haven’t put the car in gear by faith, and then they wonder why they aren’t going anywhere in life.

Today, if that’s you, take those keys and turn on the power of God by declaring His Word over your life. Put gas in your car, so to speak, by praising and thanking Him all throughout the day. Put your car in gear and steer clear of strife and division. Stay on the path He’s laid out before you by following His commands. Remember, you have the keys, you have the authority, and you are in the driver’s seat. So keep moving forward on the road of blessing and victory He has for you today!

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven…” (Matthew 16:19, NIV)

Copyright © 2012 Joel Osteen Ministries

Today’s Scripture:

I lift up my eyes to the hills… ~ Psalm 121:1, NIV

Today’s Word:

So many people today are stuck in a rut. It’s not because they aren’t talented; it’s not because they don’t have God’s favor, but it’s because their vision is limited. They can’t see beyond their circumstances. They don’t see themselves accomplishing their dreams, being promoted or living healthier. They just see more of the same because it’s what they are focused on. What you see is what you’re going to move toward.

The truth is, we all have vision. Every one of us has a picture in our mind of our self, our family and our future. The question is: what does your picture look like? Do you see yourself rising higher, overcoming obstacles, living an abundant life? Do you dare to dream beyond your circumstances?

Today, why don’t you change your focus? Lift your eyes beyond your circumstances. Get a higher dream, a greater vision for your life. See yourself the way God sees you and move forward in the abundant life He has prepared for you!

Prayer for Today:

Father, today I choose to lift my eyes off my circumstances and look to You. Show me Your ways that I may walk with You on the path to victory all the days of my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Copyright © 2012 Joel Osteen Ministries

Posted by Joel Osteen on 10/5/2012

Everywhere I go people ask for prayer for many different reasons, but one of the most common prayer requests come from people dissatisfied with their jobs. They may be paying the bills, but they don’t have any passion for what they do. Consequently, it affects every area of their life and drains them of valuable energy. In his new book, The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth, John Maxwell talks about it like this:

“I am amazed by how many people I meet every day who don’t like doing what they do for a living. Why do they do it? I understand the necessity of having to make a living. We’ve all done jobs we didn’t love. I worked in a meat-packing plant when I was in college. I didn’t like that job. But I didn’t stay there my whole life, doing something I found unfulfilling. If I’d loved it and it had fit my passion and purpose, I would have stayed there and tried to build a career. But it wasn’t what I wanted to do.

Philosopher Abraham Kaplan noted, ‘If, as Socrates said, the unexamined life is not worth living, so the unlived life is worth examining.’ If you’re not enjoying what you do for a living, you need to take some time to examine why.

Is it a risk making a change from what you’re currently doing to what you want to do? Yes of course. You might fail. You might find out that you don’t like it as much as you expected. You might not make as much money. But isn’t there also great risk in staying where you are? You might fail. You might get fired. You might take a pay cut. Or worst of all, you might come to the end of your life feeling regret for never having reached your potential or doing what you love. Which risk would you rather live with?

There is definitely a direct connection between finding your passion and reaching your potential. TV journalist Maria Bartiromo says, ‘Every successful person I’ve met has a strong sense of his or her unique abilities and aspirations. They’re leaders in their own lives, and they dare to pursue their dreams on their own terms.’

Have you found and harnessed your passion? Do you know what you would like to do? When you do, it makes all the difference. Why? When you tap into your passion, it gives you the E & E factor: Energy and excellence.

You will never fulfill your destiny doing work you despise.

Passion gives you an advantage over others because one person with passion is greater than ninety-nine who have only an interest.”

If this describes you today, first I want to encourage you because God has more in store for you! He put those desires and dreams in you for a purpose, and He will direct your steps toward fulfilling them. I also want to encourage you to pick up a copy of John Maxwell’s new book, The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth. I believe it will help you on your journey toward finding your passion and fulfilling your purpose. Remember what it says in Philippians 1 that “He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.” Keep pressing forward, keep believing, and keep an attitude of faith and expectancy because God is doing a work in you!

Copyright © 2012 Joel Osteen Ministries

Today’s Scripture:

The Lord your God will thrust them out from before you and drive them out of your sight, and you shall possess their land, as the Lord your God promised you. – Joshua 23:5, AMP.

Today’s Word:

We all have giants or obstacles that try to keep us from possessing what God has promised, especially in our dreams. We have two choices: we can quit and live in mediocrity, or we can fight and take hold of the victory.

In the Bible, the children of Israel were camped right next door to their Promised Land. God had already told them He would give them the victory; all they had to do was go in and fight for the land. But, when they heard how big their opponents were, they had such a weak, defeated mentality that they just gave up. Their attitude was, “What’s the use of even trying? We’ll never defeat those people. We might as well just stay out here in the wilderness.” They settled for mediocrity because they weren’t willing to fight.

Friend, don’t let that be you! The battle you have to fight today is in your mind. You have to change your thinking in order to possess God’s promises. Start choosing thoughts of faith and victory. Declare that you are an overcomer. As you stand and fight and win the battle in your mind, you’ll move forward and embrace the promises and dreams that God has for you!

Prayer for Today:

Father, today I come to You believing that You have given me the victory. I will not focus on the obstacles before me; instead, I will focus on You. Help me to stand strong and keep my heart and mind focused on the victory You have in store for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Copyright © 2012 Joel Osteen Ministries

Today’s Scripture:

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you…  – 2 Timothy 1:6, NIV.

Today’s Word:

I believe that God has planted seeds of greatness on the inside of every one of us. We all have dreams and desires, things we want to accomplish; things we want to see changed. But so many times, life has a way of stealing our dreams. We go through disappointments, face adversity, things don’t turn out as we would like. Too often, people just end up settling for second best. But God doesn’t want us to settle for second best. He wants us to be determined, press on, and pursue the greatness that’s on the inside. We should never let “good enough” be good enough!

I want to encourage you today to stir yourself up and get your fire back. Start speaking victory over your future. If one dream has died, dream another dream. Put yourself in a positive, faith-filled environment. Get around people of excellence who live passionately. Fan the flame that is in you so you can move forward into all God has in store for you!

Prayer for Today:

Father, I come to You today giving You my disappointments, setbacks, hurts and broken dreams. I ask that You restore my passion and vision for the future. Let Your flame burn brightly in me now and forevermore in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Copyright © 2012 Joel Osteen Ministries

Posted by Victoria Osteen on 10/2/2012

Everyone has defining moments in their lives; experiences that shape who we are and our perspective on the world. We can have defining moments in our relationships, in our careers, and with God.

All throughout our lives, God draws us to Himself in various ways. He chose us long before we ever chose Him, and He is constantly calling us to His heart. In defining moments with God, He reveals Himself to us and empowers us to live the life of victory He has planned.

I’ve had many defining moments in my life when I knew God was speaking directly to my heart. I remember one evening back when I was in college. I was studying with a friend at her kitchen table when I overheard a conversation between her mother and her aunt on the other side of the room. They were discussing the Bible, and as they talked about a particular passage of scripture, it stood out so strongly to me that it was like they were shouting across the room, even though they weren’t.

“Did you hear that?” I enthusiastically asked my friend.

“Hear what?” she said, looking up from her notes. “What are you talking about, Victoria? I didn’t hear a thing.”

“You didn’t hear that scripture about how God wants us to really understand His love and be passionate about it?” I was amazed that she hadn’t noticed the conversation across the room.

She shook her head and looked back to her notes. Meanwhile, I sat there in awe. Those words were so clear; I felt that God was speaking directly to me in a very special way. Those words came alive in my heart in a way I hadn’t experienced before. It was a defining moment in my life when I knew God was drawing me to Himself.

Right now, I believe God is drawing you to Himself in a special way, too. You can probably look back over your life and see His defining moments speaking to your heart. Meditate on those times. Ask the Lord to reveal Himself in a fresh, new way. Look for His hand guiding and directing you and allow Him to reveal His love and goodness to you!

“He reveals deep and secret things…” (Daniel 2:22, NKJV)

Copyright © 2012 Joel Osteen Ministries

Today’s Scripture:

What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness? – Romans 3:3, NIV.

Today’s Word:

Have the opinions of other people caused you to water down your dreams? There will always be critics and naysayers in life. It’s not what’s said about you that affects your life, but what you say and believe about yourself.

One of the most important things you can learn is that other people don’t have to believe in you in order for your dreams to come to pass. Other people don’t set the limits for your life—you do. In Romans 3:3, the Apostle Paul is saying, “It doesn’t matter if other people don’t believe. Their unbelief is not going to keep me from believing in my dreams.” When God puts a promise in your heart, it’s not up to other people to bring it to pass, it’s up to you! You don’t need everyone to validate you. You have to follow the voice of God for yourself and allow Him to order your steps.

Remember, God sees the hidden treasures that you’ve had buried on the inside of you. He wants to bring those treasures out and make your dreams reality! As you get rid of old, defeated thoughts and replace them with what God says about you, you will remove the limits and live the abundant life God has in store for you!

Prayer for Today:

Heavenly Father, thank You for another day to see Your goodness in my life. Today, I take off the limits and embrace the dreams You’ve placed in my heart. Empower me by Your Spirit to fulfill Your plan for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Copyright © 2012 Joel Osteen Ministries

Posted by Joel Osteen on 9/28/2012

My grandfather on my dad’s side was a very good, hard-working man. But, Granddaddy didn’t have any kind of spiritual upbringing. None of his relatives knew anything about God. My father was the first one in the family to come to know the Lord when he was just seventeen years old. Granddaddy Osteen was a very quiet, reserved man. My father shared his faith with Granddaddy many times, but he just wouldn’t hear it. He said, “John, when I’m dead, I’m dead like a dog. Just roll me over in the ditch.”

My father would say, “No, Daddy. You’ve got to live on somewhere after the stars fall like autumn leaves.”

But it just went in one ear and out the other. It didn’t have any effect on Granddaddy. Year after year went by. One Sunday, my father was up in the pulpit at the church he pastored at that time. Granddaddy walked in that church for the first time ever and sat down on the back row. My father was so thrilled! It was a dream come true. Then, right in the middle of his message, Granddaddy got up, walked down the aisle and stood at the altar, interrupting the whole service. He said, “John, I’m finishing today what I started over 40 years ago.”

Daddy said, “What do you mean?”

Granddaddy told how when he was in his early 20’s, he was out in the woods and a huge blizzard unexpectedly blew in. He got lost. He walked for hours and hours in temperatures below zero. He couldn’t see anything. Night fell and he was lost in the dark and cold, all alone. He was sure that he was going to freeze to death. His body was starting to shut down and he got very sleepy. He was about to lie down in the snow, but before he did, under his breath he said, “God, if You will spare my life and help me make it through this storm, then I’ll serve You.” Granddaddy lay down in the snow expecting it to be the end. The next morning, he woke up just as warm as toast. Somehow God had kept him alive. He said, “John, I’ve put this off for 40 years, but today I’m going to make good on the promise that I made to God.”

My grandfather never missed another Sunday at that church. One day they asked him to become an usher. You would have thought they had asked him to become the President of the United States! He was so proud, so excited. Granddaddy only owned one suit. When he died, that was the suit he was buried in. In the pockets, there were church bulletins and church offering envelopes and tracts from the church where he had served.

How many people, like my grandfather, have made a promise to God? “God, if You will help me through this tough time, then I’ll serve You…God, if You will give me this job, then I’ll get back in church…God, if You will help me pass this college course…God, if You will show me mercy.” God did His part. My question is, “Have you done yours?” Have you made good on the promise that you made to God? If not, don’t put it off any longer. It’s not too late to forgive. It’s not too late to get back in church. It’s not too late to pursue a dream. It’s your time to fulfill your promise to God because He is faithful, and He will fulfill every promise He’s made to you!
“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.”(Proverbs 3:3, NIV)

Copyright © 2012 Joel Osteen Ministries

Today’s Scripture:

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. – Proverbs 18:24, NIV.

Today’s Word:

Your destiny is too big to accomplish on your own. That’s why it’s so important to be connected to the right people. We have to understand that God has already arranged for certain people to speak faith into you. He has already placed people in your path that will inspire you, challenge you, and help you accomplish your dreams. The reason some people never reach their highest potential is because they never get away from the wrong people.

Recognize today that not everyone can go where God is taking you. You’ve got to connect with people who understand your destiny and can call forth your seeds of greatness. You don’t have time to spend on people who are always pushing you down, telling you what you can’t do, or never giving you their approval no matter how hard you try. Friend, life is too short to drag people along. If you will get the wrong people out of your life, then God will bring in the right people so you can fulfill the destiny He has in store for you.

Prayer for Today:

Father in heaven, thank You for placing the right people in my life. Help me to discern the right connections You have for me. Give me strength to release the wrong relationships so I have room in my life for the people You have chosen to connect with me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Copyright © 2012 Joel Osteen Ministries

Today’s Scripture:

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world… – Ephesians 1:4, NIV.

Today’s Word:

Did you know that God chose you before the foundations of the earth? Before the worlds were ever formed, He knew you. And, He didn’t create you to be average. He didn’t create you to barely get by. No, He created you to excel! Not only has He chosen you, but He has equipped you with everything you need to live and thrive in this life. He has deposited seeds of greatness inside every person. But in order to tap into those seeds of greatness, you have to believe this and act on it.

Too many people today are going around with low self-esteem, feeling inferior like they don’t have what it takes. But that is living a lie. And as long as we have a poor self-image, we’re not going to experience God’s best. In order to be all that God has called us to be, we have to see ourselves as chosen, valuable and victorious.

Today, meditate on this truth. Let it sink down deep into your heart. Let it build confidence and security in you. As you understand your value in the eyes of God, you’ll be empowered to live the life of victory He has prepared for you!

Prayer for Today:

Father God, thank You for choosing me. Thank You for equipping me. Help me to see myself the way You see me. Show me Your ways that I may walk with You in confidence and trust all the days of my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Copyright © 2012 Joel Osteen Ministries