KEEP GOING | Powerful Motivational speech by Joel Osteen

[Music] I want to talk to you today about inviting God into your difficulties most of the time we're praying God get me out of this challenge get me out of this trouble at work get me out of this financial setback there's nothing wrong with that but before you get out you have to invite God in sometimes the miracle is not in getting out it's in what God is going to do in the situation instead of just praying God get me out why don't you start praying God come in to this hospital room while I'll take

the treatment come into this trouble at work where the people aren't fair come into this anxiety that I'm dealing with what's more powerful than God bringing you out is when God comes in and begins to to change things he comes in and gives you favor despite who's trying to push you down he comes in and gives you strength that you can't explain Grace to outlast what should stop you if you're only focused on God bringing you out then you're going to be disappointed because God doesn't do things on our timetable sometimes it's taking longer than

we thought but when you ask God to come in you can be at rest God God I know you're right here with me you are ordering my steps and at the right time you'll get me to where I'm supposed to be you don't have to fight everything live upset can't sleep at night that happens when you're only focused on getting out God is waiting to come in when you ask him in you're saying God don't just change the circumstances change me help me to not just go through this situation help me to grow through it

help me to learn increase my faith let my character come up higher if God delivered us out of everything instantly we would never reach our Highest Potential God works in the trouble he works in the uncomfortable situations and sometimes God is not bringing you out yet because he wants the odds to be against you in a bigger way so when he brings you out it will be a greater Miracle now voices will whisper God doesn't even hear your prayers that's why nothing's changing the truth is God is setting you up to show out in your

life when he brings you out no one will be able to deny that his favor is on you God said in Isaiah when you go through the waters I will be with you when you go through the rivers they will not overwhelm you when you walk through the fire you will not be be burned it's interesting that God didn't say I'll keep you out of every fire you won't have to face any floods no he said the challenges will come there will be adversities and things we don't understand but the whole key to this verse

is when he said I will be with you in the fire in the flood in the famine are you trying to get out of something that God is going to take you through are you fighting the proc says it's not fair God I can't take it anymore Everything Will Change if you'll start inviting God in to the fire he's already promised he'll be with you maybe he's just waiting for your invitation the right attitude is God I know you're going to bring me out but in the meantime I'm asking you to come in to this

challenge in my health come into to this loss I'm going through come into this depression that's trying to stop me when you invite God into your difficulty you'll feel him breathing in your direction empowering you enabling you favoring you is it a greater testimony that God kept you out of the fire or that he came with you in the fire and brought you through it David said though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil why because you are with me when you know God is with you when

you've invited him into your situation you'll have a smile in the middle of the difficulty you'll have a song of Praise in the prison like Paul and Silas you won't be complaining about the trouble worried about when it's going to work out you'll be at peace in the midst of the storm and the reason David didn't live afraid even though he went through valleys and all kinds of adversities is he understood this principle to invite God into the trouble he wasn't just waiting to get out he knew that God was right there with him if

you're only praying God get me out you'll be discouraged until it changes Joel I can't enjoy my life I have this child that's off course I'm dealing with an illness my finances are low when it turns around then I'll have a good attitude you're waiting for God to bring you out while God is waiting for you to invite him in you have to do like David father thank you that you were with me right here in this Valley I'm not going to live afraid worried I may not see a way but I know you have

a way instead of just trying to get out of the valley out of the trouble out of the fire if you'll start saying God come in let me feel your presence in the fire show me your greatness in this trouble then you'll have a peace that passes understanding a joy when you could be discouraged a hope when you should be distraught in the scripture three Hebrew teenagers wouldn't bow down to the king's golden idol the King was so Furious he threatened to have them thrown into a fiery furnace teenager said King we're not worried we

know our God will deliver us this made the king even more Angry he had the guards turn up the furnace seven times hotter than normal why did God have the king make the fire even hotter he wanted it to be a bigger Miracle he wanted the odds to be more against them the fact is God could have kept them out of the fire he's God he parted Red Seas he opened blind eyes would have been no problem for God to change the king's mind or to help these teenagers Escape but God doesn't Deliver Us from

every fire sometimes he'll take you through the fire the good news is God knows how to make you fireproof people don't determine your destiny bad breaks cannot stop God's plan for your life sickness addictions unfair situations don't have the final say now don't be discouraged because God didn't keep you out of the fire God doesn't stop every negative situation he uses adversities to move us into our purpose we would never know his power if we were never thrown into a fire so to speak you wouldn't know he was a Healer if you never had an

illness we wouldn't know he could move mountains if we never face big obstacles quit complaining about what you're up against it's not a surprise to God the enemy may have turned up the fire seven times hotter than normal they didn't do that without God's permission God is in control not just of your life he's in control of your enemies instead of complaining about the fire start inviting him into the fire when he's with you you cannot be defeated you and God are a majority he is a supernatural God he's not limited by the fire by

the floods by the famines what should take you out cannot stop your destiny instead of complaining about everything that you don't like if you'll recognize that God allowed the difficulty I'm not saying that he sent it but he allowed it because he had a purpose the purpose is not so you can live miserable worried and Afraid his purpose is to show his glory through you it's so other people can see his power and favor on your life without great great test you won't have a great testimony without big battles we won't see big victories these

teenagers said we know our God will deliver us they made this statement of faith then they said something even more powerful but even if he doesn't we're still not going to bow down that's the kind of people that give the enemy a nervous breakdown when you can say God this is what I'm believing for this is what I'm hoping will happen but God even if it doesn't work out my way I'm still going to give you praise I'm still going to be good to others I'm still going to show up Sunday and Usher I'm still

going to pursue my dreams that attitude gets God's attention you're saying God not my will but let your will be done but too often we're putting conditions on God and conditions on our prayer God I'll be happy if my boss moves to the backside of Mars when you get him out of my life then I'll have a good attitude have you ever thought God may be using that person to do a work in you to grow you up to develop your character to teach you to love those that are not very lovable instead of praying

God get me out of this situation I'm asking you to start praying God come into this situation help me to have a good attitude help me me to do the right thing when the wrong thing is happening it's very powerful when you can say God if my boss never moves if he's here until I go to heaven I know you have given me the strength to overcome the power to be happy in the middle of this difficulty and I am not going to let this person this sickness this Injustice steal my joy now you're growing

now you're coming up higher cuz sometimes God is waiting for for us to pass the test before he brings us out the king had the guards tie up the teenagers hands and feet with cords they threw them into the furnace it was so hot that the guards were instantly killed it looked like this was the end for the teenagers but people don't have the final say if it's not your time to go you're not going to go nothing can snatch you out of God's hands a little while the King came to check on them he

looked through the furnace window and was puzzled he said didn't we throw three men in Bound I see four men loosed and one looks like the Son of God God may not keep you out of every fire but don't worry he'll come into the fire with you he'll help you overcome what looks impossible that illness should be the end the medical report said you were done but like we with my mother God came in the fire with you and here you are still going strong that loved one you lost or that person that walked away

broke your heart that should have soured your life but look at you now still moving forward doing great things fulfilling your purpose how could that be God came in the fire with you the psalmist said God is a very present help in times of trouble we we know that God is always with us but when you're in difficulties and you invite him in you're going to feel his presence in a greater way you're going to be more aware that you're not alone when you get thrown into the fire so to speak you won't be bitter

you'll stay in faith knowing that the fourth man is right there with you the God who controls the fire The God Who heals who restores who pays you back for the injustice is right there watching over you protecting you ordering your steps Moses went through a difficult situation he didn't know how it was going to work out I'm sure he was tempted to worry and think about how big his enemies were but God said to him in Exodus 33 Moses I will go with you I will give you rest everything will be fine for you

maybe you're facing some challenges life hasn't turned out the way you thought you asked God to keep you out of the fire but it didn't happen your way now you're wondering how you're going to beat the illness how your family is going to be restored God is saying to you what he said to Moses I'm going with you you're not in that fire by yourself I have you in the palm of my hand I'm fighting your battles that obstacle may be too much for you but it is not too much for our God right now

he is pushing back forces of Darkness he's keeping the fire from burning you he's not letting those Waters drown you he's your protector your deliverer your way maker your healer your provider you don't have to do this on your own you don't have to figure everything out you're not going to know all the details you have to walk by faith and not by sight knowing that he's right there with you that he's promised everything is going to be all right for you when the king had the teenagers hands and feet tied up they could have

panicked been stressed out but they understood this principle that God doesn't keep us out of every fire but he comes into the fire with us they didn't fall apart they stayed in peace but I can imagine how different this outcome could have been if they would have complained been bitter discouraged maybe we wouldn't be talking about them maybe the fourth man would have never shown up how we approach our difficulties makes all the difference whether we're going to come through them not burn without the smell of smoke like the teenagers or whether we're going to

get stuck in them and Miss God's best you may be in the fire now but this is not the time to complain it's not the time to just pray God get me out more than ever you need to start saying father thank you that you are in this fire with me thank you that no weapon formed against me is going to prosper God I am not going to worry I trust you I believe what you promised that everything will be fine for me here's how amazing God is the king said didn't we throw three men

in Bound I see four men loosed when the teenagers came out the only thing the fire burned were the cords that were holding them back their hair was fine skin was fine clothes were fine just the cords when you come out of that difficulty the only things that are going to be gone are the limitations that are holding you back the fire is going to burn off the fear burn off negative mindsets burn off relationships that were pulling you down you're going to come out free bold confident healthy promoted Victorious ready to fulfill your destiny

I know this man he's an executive at a large company there were several people in management above him that didn't like him he's very talented they were intimidated by him they kept doing their best to keep him down he was concerned and trying to figure out what he should do and how it was all going to work out for several months he would come down for prayer and tell me how it wasn't getting any better and wondering when God was going to change it it was putting a strain on his marriage physically he was starting

to get run down I told him what I'm telling you you're just praying God get me out you need to start praying God come into this difficulty God give me the grace to bloom where I'm planted to have a good attitude even though it's not fair God show me your favor despite who's trying to push me down he changed his attitude and quit worrying about when it was going to improve knowing that God was right there with him in the fire fighting his battles I saw him a couple of years later he looked as peaceful

as can be had a big smile great attitude I thought everything had turned around he said no Joel the same people are still there doing the same things they haven't changed but I've changed I don't let them upset me anymore I don't live stressed out I enjoy my life despite how they're treating me I'm doing the right thing even though they never give me credit that's passing the test that's showing God you're not just going to be happy if he brings you out but you're going to shine even if it doesn't happen your way you're

going to be your best even if it's not changing on your timetable that's inviting God into the fire not just God get me out but God give me the strength to be here with a good attitude he was in the lobby about 3 months ago this was 3 years after he first came down for prayer he told how the company had just been sold the owners got rid of all the management team except for him he was the only executive they kept he said Joel now I'm in charge I'm running the whole company God knows

how to vindicate you he knows how to bring you out of the difficulty the question is are you inviting him into the difficulty when you're in the fire you can't complain be discouraged God it's not fair try a different approach God come into this fire with me God help me to do the right thing change me where I need to change burn off things that are holding me back you have to shine Where You Are are have a song of Praise when you could be complaining keep a smile on your face when you should be

discouraged I know it's not easy but keep reminding yourself the creator of the universe the most high God is right there with you he sees what you're up against he knows what's not fair the hurts the disappointments the Lonely Nights when you dig your heels in and do the right thing you will feel a super natural strength a power to do what you could not do on your own this is what happened with Joseph in the scripture as a teenager he was betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery he worked for a high-ranking military

official in Egypt named potier Joseph in one sense had every right to be bitter angry his dreams were shattered he was in a foreign country he didn't know anyone but you never read where Joseph complained he just kept being his best where he was he was so exceptional that Piper put him in charge of his whole house Genesis 39 says the Lord was with Joseph he was successful in everything that he did Joseph did what I'm asking us to do he didn't just pray God get me out of this trouble and I'll have a good

attitude he said God come come into this trouble help me to shine help me to stand out the next verse says Potter fora that the Lord was with Joseph can people see that God is with you in the fire are you being your best even though it's unfair are you shining when you could be complaining later Joseph was falsely accused and put in prison for something that he didn't do verse 21 says but the Lord was with Joseph there too in the prison in the Betrayal in the Injustice it's significant that the scripture tells us

three times just a few verses from each other that the Lord was with Joseph we got it the first time but God wanted us to see this principle that when you invite him into the fire you're going to have a favor that pushes you up when life tries to push you down a strength to excel when you could be slacking off a power to overcome what should stop you after 13 years of being in the fire God brought Joseph out made him second in command of Egypt you may be in a situation now that you

don't think is ever going to change but what God started in your life he's going to finish now it may not happen on your timetable instead of just praying God get me out being frustrated cuz it's taken longer than you thought why don't you start inviting God in father thank you that you are with me in this battle with cancer you are with me in this struggle with the addiction you are with me in this divorce in this breakup when you invite God in you will feel his presence in a new way Mark chapter 4

Jesus said to the disciples let us cross to the other side of the lake they all got in the boat but as they were sailing a hugee storm arose the waves were crashing over the boat the wind so strong the disciples started to panic thinking they were about to die Jesus was asleep in the back of the boat they ran as fast as they could Jesus wake up don't you care that we're about to die Jesus stood up and spoke to the storm suddenly everything calmed down now these disciples had seen Jesus perform great Miracles

heal the lepers raise a little boy from the dead when Jesus said we're going to the other side you would think they would be confident nothing for us to worry about the Son of God is in our boat he just said we're going across but even though Jesus was with them they still panicked they didn't realize the winds and waves couldn't stop The God Who created the winds and wavs the creation couldn't stop the Creator they had no reason to be afraid the Son of God was in the storm with them I wonder if you're

doing like them worried about something even though God is on your boat he's already promised you that he would restore Health back into you that you would lend and not borrow that as for you in your house you would serve the Lord now the circumstances may look the opposite the medical report's not good your loved one's off course it's easy to live worried upset but can I encourage you the most high God is on your boat those winds cannot stop you the sickness the Injustice the people they cannot keep you from your destiny you might

as well relax everything is going to be fine for you sure the waves may be big but you have an advantage the God who controls the universe is right there with you now do your part start thanking him that he's fighting your battles start shining where you are be your best in spite of the difficulties don't wait till it changes you have to invite him in before he brings you out if you'll do this I believe and declare like these teenagers that fire is not going to burn you you're about to see the fourth man

show up unusual things are about to happen unusual ual favor unusual healings unusual breakthroughs unusual promotion the fullness of your destiny in Jesus name and if you receive it can you say Amen today [Music] oh