Getting Unstuck | Joel Osteen

0:00 I hope you and your family are having a great summer. Victorian are praying for you, believing for God's very best in your life, and it's always my pleasure to be able to share a message with you. I hope you're encouraged and inspired today. Well, God bless you. It's great to be with you today, and I hope you'll stay connected with us during the week through our daily podcast, our YouTube channel, social media, and you can come visit us in person. We'd love to have you be a part of one of our services. I'd like to start with something funny, and I heard about this wealthy man.

0:33 He was known for being very eccentric. He's having a big party at his house and in his backyard he had a huge swimming pool filled with sharks and alligators. He announced his guest, anyone that will swim across my pool, I'll give you anything you want. In a few minutes, there was a big splash and a man was in there going ninety to nothing, dodging sharks and maneuvering around alligators and made it to the other side just the nick of time. Helders said, Wow, you're the bravest person I've ever met. Now what do you want? The men said, what I want more than anything else is the name of the person that just pushed me in saying like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. I have what it says I have.

1:19 I can do what it says I can do. Today I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want to talk to you today about getting unstuck. There are times that we all feel stuck. We've had a disappointment and we get stuck in a bad mood, or we've made mistakes, stuck in guilt. We can feel stuck in our career, stuck being single, stuck raising a difficult child. Thought's whisper, It's never going to change. This is permanent. Those are all lies us. God did not create you to live stuck, to be limited by your circumstances and restricted because of what people have done. He created you to rise higher, to reach new levels, to

2:13 break barriers of the past. And yes, there are seasons of waiting, times of testing where we go through struggle, but that's not how your story ends. There are seasons of harvest, coming, seasons of breakthrough, seasons of uncommon favor where God steps in and does what only he can do. You may feel stuck in some area of your life today and all the circumstances say it's not going to change that God must have forgotten about you. No, here's the key. God shows up when you're stuck. Just ask Paul.

2:50 In Silas, they were stuck in prison, their feed in chains. It looked permanent. But at midnight, as they were singing praise, says, God showed up. There was a great earthquake. The prison doors flung open. They walked out as free men. Jonah was stuck in the belly of a well. He had made mistakes, was his own fault. But God doesn't abandon us when we get off course. That well suddenly had indigestion, went to the shore and spit Jonah out. God gave him another chance. Hannah in the scripture, she felt stuck.

3:29 She had been trying to have a baby for years, but she was barren. She watched her sister have child after child and didn't seem fair. She went to the temple and prayed the prophet. Eli said to her, God heard your prayer, and you will have a child. She not only had one baby, but God gave her six children.

3:50 This was after years of her feeling stuck, thoughts telling her that she would always be barren. Don't believe the never lies. You'll never get well, never get married, never accomplish your dream. You may be stuck now, but you're not gonna stay stuck. God's about to show up. Job thought he was stuck. He went through great difficulties, lost his health, his family, his business. He was so depressed he said, I hate my life. I wish I had never been born. His wife joined in and said, I agree. Job, just curse God and die. It's good to have supported people and all the circumstances said. Job was done. But God shows up to stuck people. He not only restored what Job lost, but Job came out with double. God

4:41 makes the enemy pay for bringing the trouble. And we all go through difficulties and things that are not fair. And those thoughts will tell you it's never going to change. But you have to keep this down in your spirit. Stuck is not your destiny. God came to loose the captives. He came to free from what has you restricted. Joseph thought he was stuck in a pit. His brothers left him there to die. A caravan of Ishmaelites came. He was sold into slavery in Egypt, where years later he would become the Prime Minister. Looked like he was stuck, but it was all a set up to move him into his purpose. The enemy won't tell you that God's working behind the scenes, that is leading you to your purpose, that being stuck is only temporary. He'll whisper all you're done,

5:34 it's never gonna change. Don't believe that God's purpose for your life cannot be overridden by a bad break, a delay, a loss, a hardship. And sure there will be times we feel stuck, but you have to remember God is still in control. He's still ordering your steps. At the appointed time, he will loose you. Suddenly, doors will open, suddenly, the well spit you out, Suddenly you have that baby, Suddenly you become the prime Minister. So to speak. You step in to a new level of your destiny, and the scripture says, lift up your head and the King of Glory will come in. If you're going to get unstuck.

6:18 You can't go around with your head down focused on your problems, thinking you've reached your limits. As long as your head is down, you're going to stay where you are. Do yourself a favor, lift up your head, have a new perspective. You may be stuck, but we serve a God who knows how to get you unstucked. He did it for all those people in the Bible. He's going to do it for you. You may have tried everything you can. You've done your best, but nothing improved. You don't have any more options. The good news is God never runs out of options. You don't see a way, but God has ways that you've never thought of. Instead of having a defeat, Joe man, I never get any good breaks. I can't get through this addiction. I don't

7:06 think I'll ever get well or turn it around. I may be stuck now. I don't deny that, but I know this. I am coming out. Something good is going to happen to me. Blessings are chasing me down. The battle is taking place in our mind. It's easy to become complacent to where we're comfortable with mediocrity. You had big dreams, but it's been so long nothing has worked out, so you water down your dreams. I can live with this addiction. I'll never have more than enough, all my family struggles. I don't deserve to be blessed, Joel, I've made so many mistakes. There has to be a change on the inside before there will be change on the outsides.

7:50 Victory starts in our thinkings. When you've been stuck a long time, it can create strongholds that keep us from God's best. You need to lift up your head, have a new vision. You may be stuck now, but can I encourage you? Where you are is not where you're staying. You will beat the sickness, you will break the addiction.

8:13 You will meet the right person. You're about to become unstuck, where what's held you back is broken off of you. There's going to be a release where God thrust you into your purpose, favor, blessing that you've never seen. This is what my mother did when she was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer back in nineteen eighty one. There was nothing more the doctors could do. They send her home saying that she had a few weeks to live. And it was around Christmas time, and our whole family felt stuck.

8:46 Medically speaking, they had run out of options, and my mother told how in the middle of the night, thoughts would come saying, you can be buried in that new pink dress that you bought. The enemy would love for you to start planning your demise, planning your going down, living lonely, addicted. His goal is to keep you focused on the problem, how impossible it looks, how long it's been.

9:12 The scripture says, look away from all that distracts under Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. In difficult times, more than ever, you have to look away from the distractions and look up. Fix your thoughts on what God says about you. He's the author and the finisher. What he starts, he's going to complete. You may be stuck now.

9:38 The good news is God is not finished. He's still working. Keep looking up, keep thinking him, keep declaring what he promised, keep talking like it's on the way. And despite the negative report, I would hear my mother going through the house saying, Father, thank you that you're restoring health back into me, that I will live and not die. That the number of my days you will fulfill. You know what happened. The King of Glory came in. God did what medicine couldn't do. That was forty four years ago.

10:19 From a few weeks to live to over four decades. You're never too stuck for God to free you. You're never too addicted to depressed, medical report, too bad, child, too far gone. Lift up your head and chains will break. Healing will come, supernatural turnarounds. There was a man in the scripture that had been crippled for thirty eight years.

10:46 Every day his family would carry him to the Pool of Bethesda. They'd lay there hoping to be healed. They believed that an angel would trouble the water, the first person in would be made well. Hundreds of sick people and disabled gathered at this pool, But of all the people, Jesus came to this man who had been stuck for thirty eight years. It's not a coincidence that the scripture tells us how long he's been laying. Many of the people Jesus healed, we don't know how long they were blind or how long they had leprosy. We just know they got healed. But this length was included on purpose, so we would know that no matter how long you've been stuck. It's not too late for God to turn it around. Jesus asked the man, do you want to

11:37 get well? Seemed like an odd question. Of course he did, That's why he came to the pool. But Jesus wanted to see his frame of mind. Was he looking up, was he believing he could get well, or was he looking down thinking it had been too long. He said to Jesus, I don't have anyone to help me get into the pool. He was saying, in effect, yes, I want to get well, but I'm at a disadvantage. Jesus could have said, man, you didn't answer right. If you'd have said, yes, I healed you. God's full of mercy.

12:11 The fact is Jesus knew the man went to the pool every day. He saw his faith every morning. The man getting out of bed, putting his clothes on, being carried to the pool. He could have been at home, laying in bed self pity. Life's not fair. Every day he's out there hoping to get well, expecting the waters to move, believing for a supernatural tut. Jesus said to him, rise, take up your bed and walk. Some people say the man didn't have much faith. But if you've never walked in your life, someone tells you to get up, do you know how much faith that would take? The man could have said, Jesus, what do you mean, I'm crippled.

12:56 I've been this way my whole life. Or this man said, in effect, if you say I can walk, then I believe I can walk. If you say I'm not stuck anymore, then I believe it. As he started to rise up, suddenly strengthen healing flowed into him, energized his legs. He stood up, walked out of there first time thirty eight years.

13:19 What's interesting is this all happened on the Sabbath. The religious law said that you can't do any work on the Sabbath. Jesus knew this, but he broke the rules to get the man unstuck. God will break rules to get you to your destiny. He'll break protocol. He'll do things that are unusual. Heal you without the treatment, like my mother. Choose you to be a pastor when you don't have the training. Give you the compact center, a sports arena for a church. Uncommon? How did the ordinary something you weren't expecting to get you unstuck to release you into your purpose. You don't have to figure out how this is going to happen. All you have to do is lift up your head, activate your faith. Saw one three, David talks about all kinds of opposition he

14:14 was facing and how people were treating him very badly. This is when King Saul was chasing him through the desert. He was living on the run, stuck in an unfair situation, stuck with someone trying to get rid of him that he had been good to. He said in verse three, my enemy has chased me. He's knocked me to the ground and forced me to live in darkness like those in a grain. I'm losing all hope. I'm paralyzed with fear.

14:46 When you have doubts, fears, and uncertainties, don't get so down on yourself. Here's David, a man after God's own heart, a hero of faith. Yet he had times of discouragement, times where he felt like he was stumped, didn't see how it could ever change. The key is don't stay there. At some point you have to look up. David listened all these bad things that were happening. Then in the next chapter, when he still felt overwhelmed, still didn't see a way. He said. In verse nine, I will sing a new song unto the Lord. He was saying, I'm done talking about defeat. I'm gonna lift up my head.

15:29 I'm going to get a new perspective. Listen to how he changed verse three. Great are you, o Lord. I will meditate on your awe inspiring deeds. For you help the fallen, you lift those under heavy load, You protect those who trust in you. He went from poor, oh me, I'm stuck to God. I think that you are fighting my battles, that you're my vindicator, that you're bigger than what's trying to stop me. When you feel stuck, it makes a difference what you're focused on. Are you dwelling on the problem or are you dwelling on the promises?

16:04 Are you focused on how big the obstacle is or on how big our God is. If you'll lift up your head, the King of Glory will come in. God will make things happen that you couldn't make happen. A couple of years after we were married, Victoria and I were walking through this neighborhood close to where we lived.

16:24 We came to this new house that was almost finished being built in the last stages of construction. Nobody was around, so we walked up to it was this nice two story house and was so beautiful, this spacious entry and big windows in the back and high ceilings, and the kitchen was open to the den. It was amazing. As we were leaving, walking down the front porch, I'll never forget this, Victoria stopped and said, Joel, one day, we're going to live in a house just like that. She might as well have said one day we're going to go to the moon. We were living in an old, one story house. We could barely afford that. And being the great man of faith that I am, I started telling her all the reasons that it wasn't possible, how

17:14 I worked for a church. I'm never going to have that income. If we saved one hundred and twenty four years, we won't have enough. That went in one ear and out the other. She acted like she didn't hear me. She said, no, Joe, I'm telling you, we're going to live in a house just like this. That made me mad.

17:31 I did my best to convince her. We're stuck, we're limited, we're at a disadvantage. The difference was I had my head down. She had her head up. I was looking at what we could do. She was looking at what God can do. I was focused on all the facts, the numbers, what's logical. I didn't see a way. But God is not limited by what you don't have. He's not limited by your bank account, by the medical report, by what family you come from. He controls the universe when you believe, all things are possible in the natural.

18:11 We may be stuck, but God is supernatural. He makes streams in the desert, He brings water out of a rock, He parts red seas. Peter caught a fish that had a coin in it to pay his taxes. God is not scratching his head trying to figure out how to get you unstuck. He's going to do things that you never saw coming, that exceed your expectations, explosive blessings that catapult you into your destinies. Don't do like I did.

18:43 Come up with all the reasons. You can't get out of debt, and you can't get well. Your dreams too big, and that child of yours will always be off course. Do yourself a favor. Lift up your head. God. I don't see away, but I know you have a way. Victoria finally convinced me to get in agreement with her.

19:06 We were living in this old rundown house, had foundation problems, crooked floors, some of the interior doors wouldn't shut. But it was on a nice half acre lot close into the city. The neighborhood changed the deed restrictions to where you could subdivide the property. A builder knocked on our door.

19:26 A couple months later. He bought half of the property for more than we paid for the whole property. He built two homes there, one for us, just like that house that Victoria had seen. I could have never made that happen. I couldn't have put that on paper. What am I saying? God is going to do things that are uncommon that you didn't see coming. You may be stuck in some area, but here's a key. Being stuck is a set up for God to show out in your life, to do something out of the ordinary. Don't believe that lie that is permanent. It's been too long, your dreams too big. No, like the lame man that was there for thirty eight years, your time is coming.

20:12 Keep looking up, keep believing, keep expecting. That's your faith being released Second Kings, Chapter seven. The Syrian army had surrounded the city of Samaria, cutting off its food supply. The people were starving. There were four lepers living outside the city gates. Leprosy was contagious. They weren't allowed to be around people. Not only were they outcast, but when the enemy army came, they would be the first ones to be killed. They had no protection, talk about stuck, no future, no food, dreaded disease. But sitting by the gates, one of them said to the others, why are we just gonna sit here like this till we die? They thought, if we stay here, we're gonna start to death. We have nothing to lose. Let's go to the enemy's camp

21:05 and see if there's any food there. They started walking toward the other camp. God multiplied the sound of their footsteps. It sounded like a huge army was coming. The enemy army panicked and took off, running as fast as they could. Were they left behind all the supplies. The lepers showed up and couldn't believe it, a whole camp full of food, clothing, equipment.

21:30 They went back and told the Israelites all their lives were spared, but Sometimes, like these lepers, we get stuck at a gate. We've had bad breaks and gone through a disappointment. Now we're stuck in self pity and holding onto hurts, made mistakes. We have regrets, stuck in guilt, stuck in shame. We can get stuck in an addiction, incompromised.

21:57 We tried to do better, but we keep falling back. The challenge is we can get comfortable at the gate. We can learn to function in dysfunction. We have to ask ourselves what the leopers ask. Why am I going to sit here till I die? Why am I going to stay this way? Offended? Guilty, insecure, no passion. We're waiting for God to change things, but God's waiting for us.

22:26 When you make a move, it sets off a chain reaction. That's when God begins to work open doors, bring healing, new relationships. A small act of obedience can lead to a big blessing. It may be forgiving that person that did you wrong, or forgiving yourself for the mistakes you've made. It may mean getting up in the morning and emptying out all the low self esteem, the insecurity, and reminding yourself who God says you are. A small act can get you unstuck. Maybe it's to quit hanging around that friend that's causing you to compromise, or not listening to the news driving to work all day it's causing you to be mad at the world. Instead, put on something inspiring, uplifting that feeds your faith. Don't go the next twenty

23:21 years stuck at the gate. Do what you can, and God will do what you can. You make a move and he'll multiply your steps. You lift up your head and he'll turn things around that you thought were permanent. There was a man we knew growing up that could play the piano so beautifully. He would taught lessons to people and served at the church. But over time he developed rheumatoid arthritis, kept getting worse and worse, and he had trouble using his hands, and finally got to the point where his fingers were all shriveled up and he could no longer play the piano. He was so discouraged over it all. Well, twenty years went by and he had accepted that his days of playing the piano were over.

24:09 But one day he heard my father speaking about forgiveness and how important it is to let things go for years he had been estranged from his parents. He felt like they hadn't raised him right, they'd let him down, and all these offenses had built up till what he pushed them out of his life. When he heard that message, he felt something so strongly telling him to forgive, to make things right. The next day he went to his parents' house and knocked on the door, and they answered and couldn't believe it was him. They hugged and wept, and there was healing and forgiveness. The relationship was restored when something interesting happened. Little by little, the men's fingers began to open up. He started having more flexibility, and the

24:59 pain in his joint begin to lessen it. He kept getting better and better. Six months later, he could sit down and play the piano like he did twenty years earlier, like he had never missed a beat. He was stuck all those years, but a simple act of obedience caused him to get unstuck. Like those lepers, he was comfortable at the gate. He had learned to function with the problem.

25:25 He didn't realize the offense was holding him back. When he made a move. God did what he couldn't do when he said I'm not gonna sit here like this till I die, holding onto something that's poisoning me. That's when God stepped in and brought healing and restoration. If you're stuck in some area, you need to look inside and say, God, what do I need to do? Show me anything that's holding me back. If you'll take that step of faith, your act of obedience will start a chain reaction of the goodness of God. Life may not have treated you fair, and you've got a good reason to stay where you are, but stuck is not your destiny.

26:09 What happened to you did not stop your purpose. Mistakes you've made did not cancel your assignment. There is still a beautiful life, a blessing, fulfillment, abundance that belongs to you. It's time to arise. Shake off the guilt, forgive the people that hurt you, Let go of the self pity, lift up your hair, get that fresh vision. God didn't bring you this far to leave you. Being stuck is not permanent. It's a set up for God to show out in your life. You may be stuck now, but I believe and declare this is a new day. You're about to become unstuck. God is releasing you from whatever is holding you back. Chains are being broken, strongholds are coming down. Freedom is coming, Restoration, divine connections, the fullness

27:04 of your destiny in Jesus' name. If you receive it, can you say amen? I'd like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. If you pray that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. We'd love to send you some free information on your new walk with the Lord.

27:33 You can text the number on the screen or go to the website. But I hope you'll get into a good Bible based church and keep God first place. It's amazing what happens when you take a few moments throughout the day to connect with God. A moment to thank him for his goodness, a moment to declare his promises, a moment to rems that he's working. Now. Love to send you a new resource, three minute Moments with God.

28:06 These short readings will help you refocus your thoughts, gain a fresh perspective, knowing that God is ordering your steps. You don't need ours to connect with God. In just a few minutes, you can turn your thoughts toward Him and be encouraged by his promises. As you make time for Him, you'll have greater peace and strength, and you'll step into the favor that belongs to you.

28:28 Three Minute Moments with God is a powerful new devotional designed to meet you right where you are. Inside. You'll find topical readings for whatever you're facing, whether you need peace, wisdom, healing, or hope. Each one is filled with scripture and encouraging thought, a heartfelt prayer, and faith building declarations. So in just a few focused minutes, you can quiet the noise, turn your heart toward God, and set the atmosphere for Him to move.

28:56 It's yours.

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29:10 Joel. Know today that God has you in the palm of his hand. As you take time to acknowledge Him throughout the day, He's gonna fight your battles and get you to where you're supposed to be. Victoria and I are praying for you and your family every day. Thank you so much for your prayer and support. Your generosity takes this message of hope to people all over the world who need their own moment with God now. Special thank you to our champion of Hope partners. You monthly support makes a difference every single day. If you're not a partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one. Until next time, May the Lord bless you and keep you.

29:48 Be sure to request your copy of three Minute Moments with God, available this month by visiting us at Joelostein dot com or call eight eight eight five six seven Joel. With an addition gift, you can also receive the three Minute Promise, Power and Authority Collection featuring Abundance, Assurance and Authority.

30:08 A rich, empowering study drawn from the Passion translation. It opens up who you already are in Christ, what's already yours, and the authority you already carry. Because your next moment with God could change everything. Know who you are, walk in what's yours, Step into every moment with confidence. You can request these inspiring resources by calling eight eight eight five six seven Joel or logging on to joelostein dot com today, Call or click anytime, twenty four hours a day,