Part 5 (Your Best Life Now)

PART 5: FIND STRENGTH THROUGH ADVERSITY

 

CHAPTER 21
Getting Up on the Inside

 

  Many people give up far too easily when things don’t go their way or they face some kind of adversity Instead of persevering, they get all bent out of shape. Before long they’re down and discouraged. That’s understandable. Especially when we’ve struggled with a problem or a weakness for a long time, it’s not unusual to come to a place where we acquiesce. We simply accept it and say, “Well, I’ve always had this sickness. I guess PH never get well.” “My marriage has been dry and dull for years; why should I expect anything to change now?” “I’ve banged my head on my company's glass ceiling one too many times. Apparently, this is as high as I can go.”

 

 But if you want to live your best life now, you have to be more determined than that. The fifth step to living at your full potential is finding strength through adversity Our attitude should be: I may have been knocked, down a few times in life, but I am not going to stay down; I am determined I’m going to live in victory. I’m determined I’m going to have a good marriage. I’m determined I’m going to work my way out of these problems.
 

 We all face challenges in life. We all have things that come against us. We may get knocked down on the outside, but the key to living in victory is to learn how to get up on the inside.
 I heard a story about a little boy who was in church with his mother, and he had so much energy, he just could not sit still. In fact, he kept standing up on the seat. His mother said, “Son, sit down.”
He’d sit down for a few seconds, then he’d get right back up.
She'd gently reprimand him again, “Son, I said to sit down!”

 

 This happened several times, and then the little boy stood up and simply would not sit down. His mother took her hand, put it on his head, and pushed him down onto the seat. The boy sat there smiling. Finally, he looked at his mother and said, “Mom, I may be sitting down on the outside, but I’m standing up on the inside!”
 Sometimes that5s what we have to do in life. Our circumstances may force us to sit down for a while, but we must not stay down. Even when we are sitting down on the outside, we must see ourselves as standing on the inside!

 

Even when we are sitting down on the outside, 

we must see ourselves as standing on the inside!

 

 You may have received a bad report from the doctor. Maybe you lost your largest client at work. Perhaps you just found out that your child is in trouble. You may be facing some other serious setback, and you feel as though life has caved in on top of you, knocking you off your feet and pushing you down.
 

 But the good news is, you don5t have to stay down. Even if you can’t get up on the outside, get up on the inside! In other words, have that victor’s attitude and mentality Stay in an attitude of faith. Don’t allow yourself to lapse into negative thinking, complaining, or blaming God. Set your face like a flint and say “God, I may not understand this, but I know You are still in control. And You said all things would work together for my good. You said You would take this evil and turn it around and use it to my advantage. So Father, I thank You that You are going to bring me through this!” No matter what you face in life, if you know how to get up on the inside, adversities cannot keep you down.

 

Keep on Standing Firm

 

 The Scripture says, “When you’ve done everything you know how to do, just keep on standing firm.” You may be in a situation today where you have done your best. 'You’ve prayed. You’ve believed. You’ve placed your faith firmly on the truth of God’s Word. But it just doesn’t look like anything is happening. Now you’re tempted to say, “What’s the use? It’s never going to change”

 Don’t give up! Keep standing. Keep praying; keep believing; keep hoping in faith. “Don’t cast away your confidence,” one translation  of  the Bible says, “for payday is coming.” I like that! Payday is coming!  Friend, God will reward you if you will keep standing up on the inside. You may be in the hospital, or lying flat on your back at home. But even if you cannot stand up physically, nothing can keep you from standing up on the inside. That sickness may have you down physically, but you don5t have to be down spiritually or emotionally You can keep on getting up in your heart, mind, and will.

 

 Maybe you work around people who are always putting you down, mistreating you, trying to make you feel badly about yourself. Let that trash talk go in one ear and out the other. They may try to knock you down on the outside, but they can’t knock you down on the inside. Don’t let those people steal your joy Don’t let that problem or adversity cause you to become discouraged or depressed. Just keep standing up on the inside.

 

 I talked to a man the other day who had recently lost his job. He had been making a good salary working in a prestigious position, but then suddenly he was let go. When he first told me what had happened, I was certain that he was going to be upset and distraught. But I was wrong. When he came to see me, he was as happy as could be. He had a big smile on his face, and said, "Joel, I just lost my job, but I can’t wait to see what God has in store for me next!”

 

 He had been knocked down by circumstances outside his control, but he was still standing up on the inside. He had a victor’s mentality His attitude was: This thing is not going to defeat me. This thing is not going to steal my joy. I know I’m the victor and not the victim. 1 know when one door closes, God will open up a bigger and a better door.
 Your attitude should be similar. You can say, “Even if the enemy hits me with his best shot, his best will never be good enough. He may knock me down, but he cannot knock me out. When it’s all said and done, when the smoke clears and the dust settles, I’m still going to be standing strong.” The Bible says no man can take your joy That means no person can make you live with a negative attitude. No circumstance, no adversity can force you to live in despair. As Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of wheelchair-bound President Franklin D. Roosevelt, often said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.,”

 

 No matter what you are going through or how difficult it may seem, you can stay standing up on the inside. It will take courage; it will definitely take determination, but you can do it if you decide to do so. You must act on your will, not simply your emotions.
 

 Before he became king of Israel, David and his men were out patrolling one day, doing what God had told them to do. But while they were away, some bandits attacked their city; The marauders burned down all the homes, stole their possessions, and kidnapped the women and children. When David and his men returned, they were devastated. They wept until they could not weep any more. But as David sat out there among the ruins, watching the smoke and ashes fill the air, he made a decision that changed his destiny; He was knocked down on the outside, but he decided he was going to get up on the inside. And that victor's spirit began to rise within him. Instead of just sitting around mourning over what he had lost, the Bible says that David “encouraged and strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” In other words, he got up on the inside. He said to his men, “Get your armor back on. We’re going to attack the enemy” And they did just that. As David and his men persevered, God supernaturally helped them to recover everything that had been stolen. But I don’t believe any of that would have happened if David had not first gotten up on the inside.

 

 You may be sitting around waiting for God to change your circumstances. Then you’re going to be happy, then you’re going to have a good attitude, then you’re going to give God praise. But God is waiting on you to get up on the inside. When you do your part, He’ll begin to change things and work supernaturally in your life.

 

 Are you going through a dark time in your life? Perhaps somebody deceived you, took advantage of you, or mistreated you, and now you are tempted to sit around mourning over what you have lost, thinking about how unfair it was, and how your life will never be the same. You need to change your attitude. You have to get up on the inside. Develop that victor5s mentality and watch what God will do.
 

 In the New Testament, we read about Paul and Silas, two of Christianity’s earliest missionaries. One day they were teaching about God and trying to help people. But some of the religious leaders didn’t approve of what Paul and Silas were doing, so they went to the local authorities and falsely accused Paul and Silas of being troublemakers. The authorities had them arrested, beaten, and thrown into prison.

 

 Did Paul and Silas murmur and complain? Did they start blaming God? No, in the midst of that adversity, the Bible says, they were “singing hymns of praise to God.”In other words, they were standing up on the inside. When you give God praise and stay in an attitude of faith in the midst of your adversities, God’s miracle-working power will show up.

 The Bible records that at midnight while they were singing praises to God, suddenly there was a great earthquake. The prison doors flew open and the chains fell off Paul and Silas.”
 Friend, your circumstances are subject to change suddenly, too, especially when you start standing up on the inside. When you face adversity, don't be a crybaby Don’t be a complainer. Don’t wallow in self-pity Instead, have the attitude of a victor.
 You may be weary and tired, worn down, and ready to give up. You may be saying, “I’m never going to break this addiction. Fve had it for so long. I wouldn't even know how to function without it.” Or, “My income is so low, and my debts are so high; I don5t see how my financial situation will ever get better?” Or, “I’ve been praying for years, but it doesn’t look as though my children want to serve God.” “I’ve had about as much as I can take.”

 

 Don’t allow yourself to wave the white flag of surrender. You must get out of that defeated mentality and start thinking and believing positively Your attitude should be: I’m coming out of this thing! I may have been sick for a long time, but I know this sickness didn’t come to stay. It came to pass. I may have struggled with this addiction for years, but I know my day of deliverance is coming. My children may not be doing right, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
 With God’s help, you can get back up on the inside. You must show the enemy that you’re more determined than he is. Shout aloud if you must, “I'm going to stand in faith even if I have to stand my whole lifetime! I’m not going to give up and settle for mediocrity I'm going to keep believing for the best. I’m going to keep standing up on the inside no matter how long it takes.”

 

God wants you to be a winner, not a whiner.

 

 God wants you a be a winner, not a whiner. There is no reason for you to be perpetually living “under the circumstances, always down, always discouraged. No matter how many times you get knocked down, keep getting back up. God sees your resolve. He sees your determination. And a hen you do everything you can do, that’s when God will step in and do what you can't do.

 

Learn to Be Happy

 

 The Old Testament hero David is one of my favorite characters in the Bible, but David Wasn’t perfect. He made mistakes, he became discouraged, 
 but he prayed, “God, renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within you may need to pray something similar. “God, please help me to rid of this negative attitude. Help me to get rid of this self-pity Help  me to not give up. God, renew a right spirit in me.”
 

 Friend, life is too short to trudge through it depressed and defeated. No matter what come against you or what is causing you to slip and fall, no matter who or what is trying to push you down, you need to keep getting up on the inside. If you want to give your enemy a nervous breakdown, learn to keep a good attitude even when the bottom falls out! Learn to be happy even when things don’t go your way.

 

 When many people face adversity, they allow their doubts to cloud their determination, thus weakening their faith. They don’t persevere; they don’t keep a good attitude. Ironically, because their spirits are not right, they remain in bad situations longer than necessary Medical science tells us that people with a determined, feisty spirit usually get well quicker than people who are prone to be negative and discouraged. That’s because God made us to be determined. We were not created to live in depression and defeat. 
 A negative spirit dries up your energy; it weakens your immune system. Many people are living with physical ailments or emotional bondage because 
they are not standing up on the inside.
 The Bible tells us that many of the saints of old dies in faith. But you can die in faith only if you live a faith-filled life. When it’s my time to go, I want spend my last day here on this earth full of joy, full of faith, and full of victory. I’ve made up my mind that I’m going to live my best life now, and when my days are done, I’m going to die standing up on the inside.           
 You need to make a decision to do the same thing. Get rid of the mind-set that’s saying you can’t do it; you can’t be happy; you have too much to overcome. Those are all lies from the enemy You can be happy if you want to be. You can stand strong if you have a determined spirit. You can do whatever you need to do. When you face adversity, remind yourself, “I am full of God's can-do power. I can overcome. I can live in victory I can stand up on the inside.", Learn to tap into the can-do power that God has placed inside you, rather than rolling over in the face of adversity.

 

Don’t Back Down

 

 Growing up, my family had a dog named Scooter. He was a great big German shepherd, and he was the king of the neighborhood. Scooter was strong and fast, always chasing squirrels here and there, always on the go. Everybody knew not to mess with Scooter.
 One day my dad was out riding his bicycle, and Scooter was bounding along beside him. Daddy looked over at Scooter and smiled. He was so proud of that dog. He could see Scooter’s muscles rippling as he ran; he looked as though he could fight a tiger. But about that time, a tiny Chihuahua came yelping out of one of the homes, about thirty or forty yards in front of them. That spunky Chihuahua raced toward Scooter, barking up a storm.
 Daddy thought at the time, You. poor little dog. You are messing with the wrong dog. Scooter could put one paw on you, and youd be 汉 goner! But that little dog kept coming with full force, barking at the top of his lungs. Daddy was concerned that Scooter was just going to tear him up.

 

 But much to my dad’s surprise, the closer that little dog got to Scooter, the more Scooter began to hang his head like a coward. When that little dog finally got face-to-face with Scooter, Scooter just lay down on the ground, rolled over, and put all four legs up in the air! Apparently, Scooter was not nearly as big on the inside as he was on the outside.
 Have you ever done something similar? Although we know that we have all God's resources at our disposal, when adversity comes barking, too often we just back down, roll over, and let the one with the loudest voice and the most annoying personality take control. We have the most powerful force in the universe inside us. We are filled with God’s can-do power. 

 We are made to be more than conquerors. But too often, just like Scooter, when trouble comes we back down and don’t use what God has given us. We just give up and say, “I can’t do this. It’s too tough for me.”
 It’s time to stand up on the inside, to tap into God’s power. Stand strong and fight the good fight of faith. Remember, if you get knocked down, don’t stay down. Get back up. Don't be like Scooter and roll over in the face o£ adversity; learn to do as David and encourage yourself  in the Lord your God.
 God has destined you to live in victory, but you have to do your part. Make a firm decision that no matter what comes against you in life, you are going to keep standing up on the inside.

 

CHAPTER 22
Trusting God’s Timing

 

 Human nature tends to want everything right now. We're always in a hurry Most of us get impatient when we miss a turn on a revolving door! When we pray for our dreams to come to pass, we want them to be fulfilled immediately But we have to understand, God has an appointed time to answer our prayers and to bring our dreams to pass. And the truth is, no matter how badly we want it sooner, no matter how much we pray and plead with God, it’s not going to change His appointed time. It’s still going to happen on God’s timetable.

 

 Because we sometimes don’t understand God’s timing, we live upset and frustrated, wondering when God is going to do something. “God, when are You going to change my husband? When are You going to bring me a mate? God, when is my business going to take off? When are my dreams going to come to pass?”
 When you understand God’s timing, however, you won’t live all stressed out. "You can relax knowing that God is in control, and at the perfect time He is going to make it happen. The Scripture says, “The vision is for an appointed time. Though it tarry, wait earnestly for it, for it will come to pass.” Notice, it's called an “appointed time.” It may be next week, next year, or ten years from now. But whenever it is, you can rest assured that it will be in God’s perfect timing.

 

 I would love to tell you that if you prayed hard enough, and if you had enough faith, your prayers would always be answered within twenty-four hours. But that’s simply not true. God is not like an ATM machine, where you punch in the right codes and receive what you requested (assuming you’ve even made a deposit!). No, we all have to 
wait patiently That’s a part of learning to trust God. The key is, how are we going to wait? What will be our physical, emotional, and spiritual demeanor? 

 Are we going to wait with a good attitude and expectancy, knowing that God has great things in store? Or are we going to be upset, frustrated, and muttering complaints? “God, You never answer my prayers. When is my situation ever going to change?”

 

 Consider this: If you know you have to wait anyway, why not make a decision to enjoy your life while you’re waiting? Why not be happy while God is in the process of changing things? After all, there’s nothing we can really do to make it happen any faster. We might as well relax and enjoy our lives, knowing that at the appointed time God is going to bring His plan to pass.

 

 See, you don’t have to struggle. You don’t have to go around always wondering why God is, or is not, doing something. No, when you are trusting God, you can be at peace knowing that at the right time, God will keep His promise. It’s going to happen, and the good news is, it’s not going to be one second late. Imagine how much pressure that can take off you!

 

 If you are unmarried and are believing for a mate, you don’t have to worry You don’t have to beg God incessantly You don’t have to pray every fifteen minutes reminding God to send your mate. No, you can relax, knowing that at exactly the right time, God is going to bring the perfect person into your life, and he or she will not be one second late. By the same token, if you are believing for your family members to develop a relationship with God, you don't have to quote Scripture to them at every family function as though you were firing a spiritual machine gun. You don’t have to shove the Bible down their throats. You don’t have to be upset because they won't come to church with you as much as you would like. You can relax and live your life in front o£ your loved ones, speaking naturally about your relationship with God and knowing that at the appointed time, God is going to speak to your family members.

 

 Maybe you have some areas in your own life in which you need to improve, areas in which you need to change, and you’ve been extremely hard on yourself because you’re not growing as fast as you would like. Lighten up and allow God to change you in His own timing. We all want to change overnight, but the Bible tells us that God changes us little by little. You can quit struggling, stop worrying about it, and simply do your best to love God and live for Him, love others, and let God change you in His own way and in His own timing.

 

 Do you see how liberating it can be when you understand the concept of God’s timing? When you are truly living by faith, you can relax in what the Bible calls the “rest” of God. That’s a place where you’re not worried, you’re not struggling, you’re not trying to figure everything out, wondering why something is or isn’t happening. The rest of God is a place of total trust. When you're in God’s rest, you know that at the perfect time, God is going to perform everything He promised; He will bring it into being.
 Why isn’t God ivorking in my life? you may be wondering. I’ve been praying, believing, and waiting, but it seems God is not doing anything about my marriage. That difficult situation at work hasn’t changed. None of my dreams is coming to pass.

 

 Understand, God is at work in your life whether you can see anything happening externally or not. In fact, one could almost make a case that God often works the most when we see it and feel it the least. You may not see any progress. Your situation may look the same as it did three months or even three years ago, but you must trust that deep inside your life, God is at work.

 

God often works the most when we see it
and feel it the least

 

 Beyond that, behind the scenes, He’s putting all the pieces together. He’s getting everything lined up, and one day, at the appointed time, you will see the culmination of everything that God has been doing. Suddenly, your situation will change for the better.

 

In Due Season

 

 David had a big dream for his life. He had a desire to make a difference, but as a young man he spent many years as a shepherd, caring for his father’s sheep. I'm sure there were plenty of times when he was tempted to think that God had forgotten him. He must have thought, God, what am I doing out here? Theres no future in this place. I want to do something big for You. When are You going to change this situation? But David understood God’s timing. He knew that if he would be faithful in obscurity, God would promote him at the right time. He knew God would bring his dreams to pass in due season. He said, “God, I’m trusting You. My times are in Your hands.”, He was saying, in effect, “God, I know You are in control. Although I don't see anything happening, You are working behind the scenes, and at the right time, "You’re going to change this situation.”,
 You know the story God brought David out of those fields, he defeated Goliath, and eventually he was made king of Israel.

 

 Perhaps you have a big dream in your heart—a dream to have a better marriage, a dream to own your own business, a dream to help hurting people—but like David, you don’t really see any human way your dream could happen.
 I have good news for you! God isn’t limited to natural, human ways of doing things. If you will trust God and keep a good attitude, staying faithful right where you are and not getting in a hurry and trying to force things to happen, God will promote you at the right time, in your due season. He will bring your dreams to pass.

 

 If you’re not seeing God move in your life right now, one of two possibilities must be considered. Either your requests are not God’s best and will probably not be answered the way you’d like, or it must not be the right time. If God were to answer that prayer the way you are hoping, it could interfere with His ideal plan for you.

 

God Sees the Big Picture

 

 Today, our television program is aired on networks across the United States and in numerous countries around the world. That has been a dream come true for me. I loved broadcasting my dad’s ministry all over the world. But toward the end of my dad’s life, he didn’t want to do too much of that anymore. He just wanted to relax and serve the church.
 At one point I had arranged for a large number of radio stations to carry our weekly broadcast. I said, “Daddy if you’ll come down to the studio for maybe an hour a week, we can make all these radio programs.”
 To my dismay, Daddy responded, “Joel, I don’t want to do that. I'm seventy-five years old, and I’m not looking for anything else to do.”
 I was so disappointed. I thought, God, I’m young, and I have all these dreams to touch the world; I have lots of energy; I don’t want to do less. I want to do more!

 

But something deep within me kept saying, Be patient. It’s not the right time.
 I made a decision that I would keep a good attitude and honor my dad. I didn’t get in a hurry I didn’t get frustrated and start struggling and trying to make things happen in my own strength or in my own timing. No, I simply remained faithful and kept doing the best I could.

 

 At the time, it didn’t seem that God was doing anything with Daddy’s dream or mine to broadcast messages of hope all over the world. But a few years later, when my dad went to be with the Lord, it all became clear to me. I never dreamed that I would be the pastor. I never dreamed that I would be the guy in front of the camera one day But now I realize that God put those dreams in my heart for my own life, for my own ministry, not just Daddy’s. Had I not been patient and stayed in God's perfect timing, I don’t believe I’d be where I am today

 

 We don’t always understand God’s methods. His ways don’t always make sense to us, but we have to realize that God sees the big picture. Consider this possibility: You may be ready for what God has for you, but somebody else who is going to be involved is not ready yet. God has to do a work in another person or another situation before your prayer can be answered according to God’s will for your life. All the pieces have to come together for it to be God’s perfect time.

 

 But never fear; God is getting everything lined up in your life. You may not feel it; you may not see it. Your situation may look just as it did for the past ten years, but then one day, in a split second of time, God will bring it all together. When it is God’s timing, all the forces of darkness can't stop Him. When it’s that appointed time, no man can keep it from happening. When it’s your due season, God will bring it to pass.
 Suddenly, things will change. Suddenly, that business will take off. Suddenly, your husband will desire a relationship with God. Suddenly, that wayward child will come home. Suddenly, God will bring your hopes and dreams to pass.

 

 Shelby was an attractive woman in her mid-thirties who genuinely desired to be married. She had prayed and prayed but had never even had a serious relationship with a man. In fact, she told me that she hadn’t been out on a date within the last two or three years. She was tempted to be discouraged, assuming that nothing was happening, and that she might spend the remainder of her life as a single woman.

 But one day she was driving home from work when she had a flat tire and had to pull her car over to the side of the freeway A few seconds later, another car pulled over behind her, and out stepped a handsome young man. He not only changed Shelby’s tire, he invited her out to dinner. About a year later they got married, and today they are wonderfully happy and in love.

 

 Now, think about the odds of such an occurrence. That certainly was not an accident or a coincidence. That was God at work in the lives of two young adults. Think about the timing involved in their meeting. Her tire had to go bad at just the right time. There had to be just the right amount of traffic on the freeway Had there been too many cars, he would have been late; too few cars, he would have been early That young man had to catch just the right elevator leaving the office. He had to get stopped by just the right amount of traffic lights. All the timing had to go down to the split second in order for his car to be shortly behind Shelby’s when her tire went flat.

 

 Don’t ever think that God is not at work in your life. He5s making things happen even when you don’t realize it. Just stay in an attitude of faith and learn to trust His timing.
 When I was in my early twenties, I had an experience similar to Shelby5s. I had never really dated much during high school or college. I was a sports nut, and I was busy playing baseball four or five nights a week. I really didn’t have any time for a social life. But I eventually tired of hanging out with all those old ugly guys, and I decided I was going to find somebody a little better looking.
 

 I prayed that God would lead me to the right person. I said, “Father, I know You have somebody already picked out for me, so I'm trusting You to bring us together at the right time.”
 Two or three years went by and nothing much happened, but I didn’t get in a hurry or try to force things. I didn’t get upset and say “God, why aren’t You doing anything?” No, I just did my best to stay in the rest of God. I said, “Father, I know   You are in control and even though I don’t see anything happening, I know You are working behind the scenes on my behalf.”
 

One day I noticed that my watch had stopped. My friend Johnny and I were going up to the gym to work out, so I decided to stop at a jewelry store along the way to get a new watch battery I went into the store and met the most beautiful girl I had ever seen! I thought, God, You have just answered my prayers!
 We struck up a conversation, and I discovered that she was a good Christian girl. I thought, Thats great, because if you were’t a Christian, you were about to become one!
She not only sold me a battery for my watch, she sold me a whole new watch! And she’s been spending my money ever since.
 

But think of all the factors that had to fall into place for me to meet Victoria. My watch battery had to stop. I had to have a reason to go to a jewelry store, not simply a Wal-Mart or a convenience store. Then I had to stop at the particular store where Victoria was working. Keep in mind, there are hundreds of fine jewelry stores in Houston. Then she had to be working that specific shift. She could have been off that day Somebody else could have waited on me. But all these pieces came together perfectly, because God was in control.
 

 To live your best life now, you must learn to trust God’s timing. You may not think He’s working, but you can be sure that right now, behind the scenes, God is arranging all the pieces to come together to work out His plan for your life.

 

 You may be experiencing some difficult times, and perhaps your circumstances have seemed static and immobile for quite a while. You may not be able to fathom how your situation can ever move forward. But you need to know that God had the answer to your prayer even before you had the need. God has been arranging things in your favor long before you ever encountered the problem.

 

 A pastor of a large church in America unfortunately got off track and made some very poor decisions, resulting in his resignation. His family fell apart, and he left the ministry It was a very sad situation. By all outward appearances, he had a bleak future. Several years went by, and the pastor was trying to get his life back together. He still had a heart to serve people, so he decided to travel to South America to assist some missionaries there. While he was in Brazil, he visited a little church. When he met the pastor, something very strange happened. The Brazilian pastor looked shocked and then began to weep. The pastor clasped the American’s hands and began to pray in Portuguese.
 As the pastor prayed for him, the American felt an unusual presence enveloping him, almost like a warm glow purging him of his hurt and pain. He said, “For the first time in several years, I felt that I was able to let go of the past. I felt totally free and totally restored”

 

 When the prayer ended, the American asked his interpreter, “Who is this man? And why was he praying for me like that?”
 Through the interpreter, the Brazilian pastor said, “Twenty years ago, I was praying and suddenly your face came into my mind. And God said to me, 'One day you will help bring healing and restoration to this man.’ Today is that day, and you are that man.”

 

 Now here’s the truly amazing aspect of this story: Twenty years prior to that event, the American was not even a Christfan, much less a pastor. He wasn’t even serving God. But God knows the end of the story before the first word is written. Twenty years earlier, He had placed a vision in one man’s heart that involved another person, then for two decades, God designed events in both of their lives to bring them together on that platform in that little church in Brazil, so one man could see the fulfillment of his dream, and another man could be reassured of God’s love and forgiveness.

 

 In the same way, God already has the answer to your prayers before you have the need. He has already been arranging things in your favor. And who knows, maybe five or ten years ago, God spoke to somebody about the situation you’re going through right now, and He is shaping events to bring your paths together. You can’t fake that sort of thing. You’d be foolish to try to manipulate such events. No, God is in control. You may not think anything is happening, but remember, God often works the most when we see it and feel it the least. Learn to trust His timing. Don’t get in a hurry; don’t grow impatient; don't try to force doors to open. Don’t try to make things happen in your own strength. Let God do it His way

 

Let God do it His way.

 

 I rember a number of times when my dad tried to start construction on a new sanctuary for Lakewood Church.

 The congregation had grown too large for our facility, so several times over a five-year period, Daddy had architects draw up some preliminary plans for a new building. But just as he was about to break ground, Daddy would sense a caution from God. 
He didn’t have a peace in his heart about a matter, so he’d put it all on hold. 

 

 At that time, my dad was in his early sixties, and a number of younger ministers across the country were building large sanctuaries. Daddy felt pressured to build before it was too late. He’d get all fired up about starting the new project. Two or three times, he announced to the congregation, “This fall, we5re going to break ground for our new sanctuary!”

 

 Fall rolled around, and Daddy would get up in front of the church and say, “I’ve changed my mind. It5s not the right time. I don’t feel a peace about it.” See, Daddy was smart enough to know that he needed to stay in God’s perfect timing. And the congregation possessed enough confidence in him to patiently abide by Daddy’s convictions.
 The sad truth is, if you push hard enough, and if you're so stubborn that you must have things your way, God will sometimes allow you to undertake a project without His blessing or at the wrong time. The problem with that, of course, is when you start something in your own strength and in your own timing, you’re going to have to finish it and maintain it in your own strength. When you let God start something, He’ll finish it for you. He5ll provide everything you need.

 

 When we try to force open doors and make things happen in our own strength, the end result is a constant strain on us and a drain on our resources. Life becomes a constant struggle. Nearly all joy, peace, and victory dwindle from your existence. That is not a place of contentment and satisfaction.
 If you are in an area like that today, you need to do your best to get out of it. Fm not suggesting that you break up your marriage relationship or renege on business contracts. That would only exacerbate the problem. But if you are doing things that are not bearing any fruit, and they are giving you a perpetual headache, there's a good chance that God didn't initiate that endeavor or relationship. Or perhaps it is part of God’s plan for your life, but you are out of His timing, and you are proceeding under your own power according to your own timetable.

 

 Be careful! If God isn’t in what you are doing, you need to make a change. Here is where many people miss God’s favor: They know God has spoken to them; He has placed a dream within their hearts. But they then set about trying to fulfill God's plan on their own. We must be aware that if we get out of God’s timing, it’s the same as getting out of God’s will. We need to be patient and let God bring His plan together at the appointed time.

 

 That is not to say that we should sit back passively and expect God to do everything. No, we have to aggressively pursue our dreams. But if a door is not opening, don’t try to make things happen in your own strength.

 My dad was a big enough person to get up and tell the congregation, “I missed it. I thought this was the time we were supposed to begin building, but it is not. It’s just not the right time.”
 Amazingly when God finally did lead Daddy to start construction, it was during what seemed to be the worst possible time. It was two weeks before Christmas, and Daddy had just gotten out of the hospital following open-heart surgery Added to that, the economy in Houston was at an all-time low. The city was in one of the worst recessions that we had ever seen. More than twelve thousand businesses had gone bankrupt during the previous year. By all logical business standards, beginning a new building—one paid for by donations—looked as though it was going to be a major mistake. Cynics and friends alike told my dad, “You’d better not start right now. You're never going to raise the money That building’s going to sit there unfinished”

 

 Daddy thanked them for their opinions, but when it’s God’s timing, it doesn’t matter what the surrounding circumstances look like. It doesn’t matter what people are telling you. If God says it5s time, then He will bring it to pass.
 Daddy initiated the building program, and in less than one year’s time, the congregation gave enough money that the building was built debt-free! Had Daddy tried to do that in his own strength, in his own timing, even i£ the economy would have been red hot, it still would have been a constant struggle.

 

 Understand, when you get out of God’s timing, you are stepping out of His favor. When you step out of His favor, you are operating on your own in the dark. Fm not saying that when we do something for God, we’re not going to have adversity But fighting the good fight of faith outside God’s timing can leave you constantly struggling, never having anything go your way never having any joy On the other hand, when you're in God’s timing, you can be in the midst of the biggest challenge of your life, and you’ll still be filled with joy God will give you all the grace you need. If you will learn to trust His timing, He’s promised that at the right time, He will bring your dreams to pass and answer your prayers. The answer will come, and it will be right on time.

CHAPTER 23
The Purpose of Trials

 

 No matter how successful we are, we all face challenges, struggles, and times when things don’t go our way When calamities occur, some people immediately think they have done something wrong, that God must surely be punishing them. They don’t understand that God has a divine purpose for every challenge that comes into our lives. He doesn’t send the problems, but sometimes He allows us to go through them.
 

 Why is that? The Bible says temptations, trials, and difficulties must come, because if we are to strengthen our spiritual muscles and grow stronger, we must have adversities to overcome and attacks to resist. Moreover, it’s in the tough times of life that we find out what we're really made of. The pressure exposes things that we need to deal with——things such as wrong attitudes, wrong motives, areas where we’re compromising. As odd as this may seem, the trials can be beneficial.

 

It’s in the tough times of life that we find out what we’rereally made of.

 

 The Scripture says, “Don’t be amazed at the fiery ordeal that’s taking place to test your quality as though something strange was happening. Notice, the trial is intended to test your quality, to test your character, to test your faith. In other words, “Don’t think it’s a big deal when you go through these tough times.", All through life, you will face various tests, and even though you may not enjoy them, God will use
those trials to refine you, to cleanse and purify you. He’s trying to shape you into the person He wants you to be. If you will learn to cooperate with God and be quick to change and correct the areas that He brings to light, then you’ll pass that test and you will be promoted to a new level.

 

Tests of Faith

 

 I’ve discovered in the struggles of life that God is more interested in changing me than He is in changing my circumstances. I'm not saying that God won’t change the circumstances. Certainly, He can and often does. But most of the time, Fm tested in the areas where I am the weakest.

 

 You’ve probably found something similar to be true. If you have a problem with jealousy, it seems as though everybody you meet has more or better material possessions than you do. You notice that your best friend wears a brand-new outfit every time you turn around. The person you work next to, who makes half as much money as you do, comes driving up in a brand-new car. Your long-lost relative calls to tell you that she just won the lottery!

 

 Are you going to pass the test? Are you going to keep a good attitude and rejoice with those who rejoice and be sincerely happy for them? Or are you going to get all negative and bitter and say, “God, I work harder than they do. Nothing good ever happens to me. I go to church every Sunday Why can’t I get a new car?”
That’s a test of your faith. That’s God bringing to light impurities in your character. That’s God trying to refine you. If you’ll learn to work with God, and let go of that jealousy, you’ll be amazed at the blessings and favor and victory that will come into your life.

 

 I’m a very focused and goal-oriented person. When I have a project to do, I like to get it done right then and there. I've been that way my whole life. In elementary school, when the teacher would give us a homework assignment on a Monday that wasn’t due until Friday, I’d go home on Monday night and do the whole thing! I didn’t want anything hanging over my head.
 

 When I go to a restaurant, I order before they even give me a menu. I’m trying to tell you in a roundabout way that sometimes I’m impatient. I don't like to wait; I don’t like to be inconvenienced. But I’ve discovered that the more impatient I am, the more I find myself in situations where I have to wait around. 
 If  I’m in a hurry to get out of the grocery store, inevitably I’ll get in the line with a brand-new cashier who is plodding through his or her first day on the job, and the person in front of me will have twenty-three items that don’t have a price tag on them!

 

 At home, I’ve noticed that the more impatient I am, the longer it takes Victoria to get dressed for an occasion. Ironically, when I’m not in a hurry or being impatient, Victoria will beat me getting dressed. She'll be out in the car waiting with the kids. But every time I’m impatient, one thing after another will delay us. Little Alexandra will have taken Victoria’s makeup. The iron won’t work right. My wife can't find our daughter’s shoes. Interesting, isn’t it? Victoria doesn’t realize it, but God is using her to refine me while she's getting dressed!

 

 God deliberately uses situations such as these so I can recognize the problem in myself and learn to deal with it. He’s working something out o£ me so I can rise to a new level and be the person He really wants me to be.

 

 In a similar way, God will use people in your life. Ydur own husband or wife, your in-laws, or your own children may be the unwitting mirrors that God uses to reveal areas where you need to change.
  "Joel, I can’t stand my boss. He irritates me to no end. I don't know why I have to work with him day in and day out When is God ever going to change that man?”
 Have you considered that God may want to change you^ God may have purposely arranged for you to be in close proximity to that person who grates against  you. He may be trying to teach you how to love your enemies. Or, He may be trying to toughen you up a little and teach you to have some endurance, to not run from everything that is hard, uncomfortable, or inconvenient.
 A husband moans, “God, why did You put me with this woman? She can’t do anything right. She can’t even cook. She burns the toast. She can’t make a meat loaf. God, when are You going to change her?”
 She’s probably going to continue to cook just like that until you learn how to get over it, have a better attitude, and start appreciating the fact that at least she’s trying to do something for you. You could be eating a TV dinner!

A parent complains, “God, these kids are driving me bananas. If You would just make them behave, then I’ll be happy”

 

God is not going to change anyone you are dealing with

until He first changes you.

 

 God is not going to change anyone you are dealing with until He first changes you. But if you5ll quit complaining about everybody around you and, instead, start taking a good look inside and working with God to change you, God will change those other people. Examine your own heart and see if there are attitudes and motives that you need to change.

 

 One day I was driving to church, and I was running a bit late for an important meeting. I knew that if could avoid any traffic jams, I’d get there just in time. But I caught every single stoplight going out of the neighborhood. I even got stopped by a light that I had never before seen turn red, not in my entire lifetime!
 I started praying as I drove, but the more I prayed, the longer it took me to get through the traffic lights. I finally steered onto the highway and took off toward the church as fast as I could drive, praying the whole time that God would give me the discernment to know which hill the policemen were waiting behind. I had just enough time to make it to my meeting.

 

 But as I kept going, much to my chagrin, the traffic started moving slower and slower. I thought, Oh, no! What is going on? Eventually, the traffic came to a complete stop. I thought, God, I’ve got to get to this meeting. "You’ve got to help me. In a couple of minutes, the lane next to me started moving. I tried everything I possibly could to get into that lane, but it was just one of those days. Nobody was willing to let me squeeze in. I had my blinker on, I was smiling and waving, I was holding up money, I was blowing kisses, I was doing everything, yet nobody would let me in!

 

 Finally, a sweet little old lady was kind enough to let me pull into the lane in front of her. I thought, All right! At last, 1 can get going! But just as I tramped down on the gas pedal, the flow of traffic in that lane came to a complete stop, and I had to slam on the brakes. Meanwhile, my previous lane starting moving! I was so frustrated that I didn’t even want to think about trying to get back in that other lane.

 I didn’t realize that God was testing me in the area of my patience. I sat stewing in that traffic for about ten minutes, and when it started inching forward, I noticed the problem. A car had stalled and had been pulled off to the right side of the road by a wrecker.

 

 As I drew nearer to the flashing lights, compassion for a stranded motorist was the farthest thing from my mind. Instead, I was thinking, I wish you’d keep that old piece of junk off the road; here you are holding everybody up, and you’re making me miss my meeting! My attitude was terribly sour. About that time, my heart sank. I looked over at the disabled vehicle and I saw what looked to be a Lakewood’ Church bumper sticker on it. Sure enough, when I drove by, I slowed down and looked over, and saw a man smiling and waving at me. I smiled back and waved at him like I was his best friend. I thought, If he only knew the truth!
 That’s when it dawned on me that perhaps God was trying to teach me something. Maybe God was using the traffic jam to bring to light impurities in my character. This was God showing me areas in which I needed to improve.

 

 God often allows you, too, to go through situations to draw out those impurities in your character. You can rebuke until your “re- buker” wears out. You can pray, you can resist, you can bind, you can loose, you can sing and shout, you can do it all, but it’s not going to do you any good! God is more interested in changing you than He is in changing the circumstances. And the sooner you learn to cooperate with God, the sooner you'll get out of that mess. The quicker you learn your lesson and start dealing with those bad attitudes and start ruling over your emotions, the quicker you’ll go to the next level in your spiritual journey We must recognize the refining purpose of trials. We can’t run from everything that’s hard in our lives.

 

 Perhaps you are in a trial, and you’re doing what I did. You’re praying for God to deliver you out of that negative situation. That is a legitimate prayer, but maybe you’re missing the point of why you were allowed to go through that trying time.

 

 Recognize that God wants to do a work in you. He’s molding you and refining you. But you’re so busy trying to evade the difficulty, the work is not being done. You’re so focused on all the circumstances and all the people around you that you haven’t taken time to look deep inside and deal with the issues God is bringing to light.

 

 Perhaps you get worried and full of fear when important things don’t go your way Have you ever thought that God may be allowing those events to teach you to trust Him and to see if you will stay peaceful and calm in the midst of the storm? Have you considered that God may be allowing some of that to teach you how to rule over your emotions? He may be trying to toughen you up, to help you develop some backbone and stability in your life.

 

 We often pray, “God, if will change my circumstances, then I’ll change.” No, it works the other way around. We have to be willing to change our attitudes and deal with the issues God brings up; then God will change those circumstances.

 

 God loves you far too much to allow you to go through life in mediocrity He will often permit pressure to be applied to your life, to test you, and only as you pass those tests will you advance. He will put people and circumstances in your path that grate on you like sandpaper, but He will use them to rub off your rough edges. You may not always like it; you may want to run from it, you may even resist it, but God is going to keep bringing up the issue, again and again, until you pass the test.

 

Work in Progress

 

 Remember, the Bible says, “We are [God’s] workmanship.” That means we are a work in progress, not a finished product. One way or the other, God is going to get His way Either you can learn the hard, way as I did in that traffic, and say “Okay, God, I’ll do it Your way I understand. I’ll be calm; I’ll be patient.” Or, you can do it the easier way: When struggles come your way, look deep inside and be quick to change. Be willing to deal with any issues that God brings up. Work with God in the refining process rather than fighting against Him.

 

 Scripture says that God is the potter and we are the clay3 Clay works best when it is pliable, malleable, and moldable. But if you are hard, crusty, and set in your ways, God will have to pound away on that old, hard clay to get out the lumps.

 

 Certainly none of us enjoy going through struggles, but you have to understand that your struggle may be an opportunity for advancement and promotion. The very thing that you are fighting against so tenaciously may be the springboard that catapults you to a new level of excellence. Your challenges may become your greatest assets.

 

 Many years ago, fishing for codfish up in the Northeast had become a lucrative commercial business. The fishing industry recognized that a great market for codfish existed all over America, but they had a major problem in the distribution. At first, they simply froze the fish, as they did all their other products, and shipped it out all across the country But for some reason, after the codfish was frozen, it lost its taste. So the owners decided to ship the fish in huge tanks filled with fresh seawater. They thought for sure that would solve the problem and keep the fish fresh. But to their dismay, this process only made matters worse. Because the fish were inactive in the tank, they became soft and mushy; and once again they lost their taste.

 

 One day, somebody decided to put some catfish in the tank with the codfish. Catfish are a natural enemy of codfish, so as the tank traveled across the country, the codfish had to stay alert and active and be on the lookout for the catfish. Amazingly, when the tank arrived at its destination, the codfish were as fresh and tasty as they were in the Northeast.

 

 Like that catfish, perhaps your adversity was dropped in your path for a purpose. Perhaps it was put there to challenge you, to strengthen you, to sharpen you, to keep you fresh, to keep you alive and active and growing. Granted, at times, it feels as though you have a great white shark in the tank rather than a catfish, but the adversity you are facing could very well be something that God is using to push you and challenge you to be your best. The trial is a test of your faith, character, and endurance. Don’t give up. Don’t quit. Don’t whine and complain, saying, “God, why is all this happening to me?”

 

The trial is a test of your faith, character, and endurance.

 

 Instead, stand strong and fight the good fight of faith. God is giving you an opportunity for promotion. It is the struggle that gives us the strength. Without opposition or resistance, there is no potential for progress. Without the resistance of air, an eagle can't soar. Without the resistance of water, a ship can’t float. Without the resistance of gravity, you and I can’t even walk.
Yet our human tendency is to want everything easily “God, can’t You teach me patience without having to go through the traffic jam?
God, can't You teach me how to love and trust You without ever having a problem?”

 

 Unfortunately there are no shortcuts; there’s no easy way to mature physically emotionally or spiritually You must remain determined and work with God. The Bible says, “Work out your own salvation.”
 Salvation is more than a onetime prayer. It is constantly working with God, dealing with the issues He brings up and keeping a good attitude, fighting through until you win the victory

 

 Some bumblebees were taken along on a space mission for a study on the effects of weightlessness. 

 Similar to humans in space, the bees floated around with such great ease, they didn't even have to use their wings. It looked as though they were thriving in the weightless environment without work, struggle, or adversity. But after three days, all the bees died. The experiment was summed up with these words: “They enjoyed the ride, but they didn’t survive.” Bees were never meant to go through life without using their wings, not having any resistance. In the same way, you and I were never made to float through life on flowery beds of ease.

 

 God never promised that we wouldn’t have challenges. In fact, He said just the opposite. His Word says, “Be! truly glad! . . . These trials are only to test your faith, to see whether or not it is strong and pure . . . So if your faith remains strong after being tried in the test tube of fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day of his return.”

 

 When you go through difficult times, make sure you pass the test. Don't be stubborn and hardheaded. Recognize that God is refining you, knocking off some of your rough edges. Stand strong and fight the good fight of faith. God has called each of us to be champions; you are destined to win. If you will work with God and keep a good attitude, then no matter what comes against you, the Bible says that all things—not just the good things in life, but all things—will work together for your good.

 

CHAPTER 24
Trusting God When Life
Doesn't Make Sense

 

 In 1958, when my dad’s future looked so bright in the denomination in which he was serving, my sister Lisa was born with a birth injury similar to cerebral palsy The doctors told my parents that she would never be normal, never walk, and would probably need twenty-four- hour care. Mother and Daddy were devastated.

 

 It was one of the darkest hours in our family’s history Mother and Daddy could easily have become bitter. They could have easily said, “God, this is not fair. Why did this happen to us? Here we are doing our best to serve You, and You allow something like this to occur.”

 

 But no, Daddy knew that adversity could be a stepping-stone to something greater. He knew God would not allow a trial without having a purpose for that trial. Instead of being negative and running away from God, Daddy ran to God. He began to search the Scriptures as never before, and he discovered the God of the Bible in a fresh way—as a loving God, a healing God, a restoring God, and, yes, as a God of miracles. Daddy went back to his church and preached with a new fire and enthusiasm. Beyond that, he and Mother began believing that Lisa could be healed.

 

 Daddy studied the Bible and began preaching messages about hope, healing, and living in victory He honestly thought the congregation would be thrilled with the message that God wanted good things for His people—after all, who could argue with that?

 

 But, as I mentioned earlier, some people became upset and Daddy eventually resigned from that church. In that dark hour, Lakewood Church was born. God used the adversity to enlarge my dad's vision, 
ushering him into a whole new era of ministry What the enemy meant for evil, God turned around and used it to His advantage. And in the midst of the struggle, God healed Lisa’s body. To this day, my sister is healthy and well. 

But I don’t believe any of that would have happened if my dad had not handled his adversities correctly

 

 Many people immediately respond negatively to adversities and trouble, rather than believing that God can bring good out of the situation. I’m not saying God sends the trouble, but I am saying God will use any adversity you face to take you to a higher level if you’ll just do your part and keep standing strong.

 

Two Kinds of Faith

 

 In my life, I’ve discovered two kinds of faith—a delivering faith and a sustaining faith. Delivering faith is when God instantly turns your situation around. When that happens, it’s great. But I believe it takes a greater faith and a deeper walk with God to have that sustaining faith. That’s when circumstances don’t change immediately, but you say, “God, I don’t care what comes against me, I don’t care how long it takes, this thing is not going to defeat me. It’s not going to get me down. I know You’re on my side. And as long as You are for me, that’s all that matters.", Sustaining faith is what gets you through those dark nights of the soul when you don’t know where to go or what to do, and it seems that you can’t last another day . . . but because of your faith in God, you do.

 

 When you have that kind of attitude, the adversary doesn’t have a chance with you. Besides, it’s not usually adversities that cause our problems; it’s how we respond to our adversities. You can have a little bitty problem and it can defeat you. On the other hand, I’ve seen people dealing with huge problems—tragic deaths in the family, incurable diseases, divorce, bankruptcy, and all sorts of other calamities—yet they are happy and at peace. They are living in an attitude of faith. They are believing for things to change. They are determined to live in victory!

 

 When you face adversity, you need to remind yourself that whatever is trying to defeat you could very well be what God will use to promote you. For example, when Daddy went to be with the Lord back in January 1999, God placed a strong desire in my heart to pastor Lakewood Church. 
All of the critics said we would never make it, and with good reason. I had never preached before! Ever!

 

A Willing Heart

 

 I had spent seventeen years behind the scenes at Lakewood managing our television production. Over the course of those years, Daddy tried many times to get me out in public to speak, but I never had the desire to do it.

 I was comfortable and content working behind the scenes. But about a week before my dad went to be with the Lord, he and Mother  were over at Kevin and Lisa’s home eating dinner. During the meal, Daddy said to them, “I'm going to call Joel and ask him if he’ll speak for me this Sunday”

 

 My mother laughed and said, “John, you’re just wasting your time. Joel is not going to get out there and speak in front of anybody” (Thanks for that vote of confidence, Mom!)

 

 Nevertheless, Daddy telephoned me at my house. And just as Mother said, I responded, “Daddy, I’m not a preacher. I don't even know how to preach. You’re the preacher.” I laughed and told him, as I had many times before, “You get up there and preach, and I promise you this; I’ll make you look good.”
 We laughed, and I hung up the phone and sat down to eat dinner.
 While Victoria and I were eating, Daddy’s words kept flitting through my mind, and with no other provocation, I began to have an overwhelming desire to preach. I didn’t really understand it at the time, but I knew I had to do something. Keep in mind, I had never even prepared a sermon, let alone considered standing up in front of thousands of people to speak. Nevertheless, I called Daddy right back and said, “Daddy, I’ve changed my mind. I think I’ll do it.”
Of course, Daddy nearly passed out!

 

 I studied all week and prepared a message, and the next Sunday I spoke at Lakewood Church for the first time. The message was well received by the congregation. None of us, however, could have imagined that would be the last Sunday of Daddy’s life. He passed away Friday night—-five days later.
 We had church that Sunday and, of course, the congregation was grieving the loss of my father, their pastor and friend, yet there was an air of confidence in the building. On Monday morning, three days after Daddy’s death, I was at home contemplating all the events that had taken place and spending a little time in prayer. We were to have a special memorial service in Daddy's honor later that week.
 

 All of a sudden, I felt that overwhelming desire to speak once again. I called my mother and said, “Mother, who’s going to speak this Sunday.
She said, “Ah, well, Joel, I don5t know. We're just going to have to pray and believe that God will send the right one.”
“Well, Fm just sort of thinking about. . . maybe that I would like to do it."
 That’s all Mother needed to hear. My mother has an interesting habit. When she is on the telephone and finishes her part of the conversation, she’s through. She just hangs up. She doesn’t give you any time to respond. So when I said, “I’m thinking about speaking” she jumped right in and said, “Oh, Joel, that would be great. I can5t wait to tell the people. We’ll see you later.”
Click. The line went dead.
“Now wait a minute!",I said. “I said I was thinking about speaking. I didn’t say I was going to do it.”
Too late; Mother was already long gone.
Well, that’s just my mother, I thought. I can always back out on her. It’s not going to hurt her feelings. She’ll forgive me.
Two days later, at the memorial service for my dad, and in front of eight thousand people, Mother turned around and said, “I'm so happy to announce to you that my son Joel will be speaking this Sunday”
And I thought, Dear God, now I’m stuck!
 Later that night, I was watching all the news reports about my dad. The Houston media gave Daddy glowing tributes as they reported his passing away I was about to turn the television off and go to bed when I heard a newscaster say one final thing about Daddy’s memorial service. “And by the way,” the news anchor announced, “Osteen’s son Joel will be ministering this Sunday”
 I said, “All right, God. I got the message. I’ll do it.”
So I wasn’t surprised when after Daddy went to be with the Lord, almost every subsequent media report discussed how 

Lakewood Church had little chance of surviving. 

 They talked about how we would never make it. The naysayers were quick to point out that no large church with a strong, dynamic leader such as my dad had ever survived after the death of that leader. 
One article specifically opined, “The worst thing that could happen is for one of the sons to take over.”
I quipped to Victoria, “Now, I could understand that if they knew my brother, Paul, but they don’t even know me!”
 As much as I tried to make light of the reports, the words still stung. There I was, trying to get my nerve up to speak, trying to build my confidence, and the media were already predicting our church’s demise!
 I knew I had to make a choice: Would I believe God or would I believe the negative reports? I decided not to dwell on public opinion or popularity polls. I refused to let those negative reports poison my heart and mind. I declined to listen to anyone who seemed intent on talking me out of fulfilling my destiny More important, I knew God had raised up Lakewood Church to be a beacon of hope for more than forty years, and He wasn’t going to let it go down the drain just because Daddy had graduated to heaven.

 

 Interestingly, the naysayers predicted that we’d be doing well if we merely maintained the status quo. But God had other plans. Lakewood continued to grow, and in 2003, Forbes magazine named Lakewood Church “the largest church in America,” with twenty-five thousand people attending each weekend. And we’re still growing!
 If you will handle adversity in the right way, God has promised that He will turn your challenges into stepping-stones for promotion. God wants to do new and unusual things in our lives. He's looking for people who will trust Him with their whole hearts. He’s looking for people who won’t limit Him with their small-minded thinking.

 

God has promised that He will turn your challenges

into stepping-stones for promotion.

 

You may say “Joel, Fm just an ordinary person. How could God ever use me? What could I ever do?”
Friend, God uses ordinary people like you and me to do extraordinary things. God is not looking for great power. 

 He’s not looking for great education. God is simply looking for a willing heart. God is not looking for ability; He’s looking for availability Just give God what you have. 

 If  you’ll give God the little that you do have, He’ll take that and multiply it and increase it. And He’ll make more out of your life than you’ve ever dreamed possible. God’s plan for your life is so much bigger and so much greater than you can imagine.
 I'm convinced that one day we will look back at what we considered to be the worst thing that could happen to us, and we’ll realize that God used even that time of adversity to refine us, mold us, shape us, and prepare us for good things to come. Interesting, isn't it? Adversity often pushes us into our divine destiny

 

Adversity often pushes us into our divine destiny.

 

 And sometimes we need a push! Had God not pushed me out of my comfort zone, I would probably still be behind the scenes today God wants us to constantly be growing, and sometimes He’ll use a little adversity or some tension to get us moving forward. He will allow pressure to push you, to stretch you, to get you out of your comfort zone. He knows just how much you can take, and in your times of distress, keep in mind, God is enlarging you. The struggle is giving you strength. Furthermore, God knows the gifts and talents that He has placed within each one of us. He knows what you are capable of, and He’s going to do everything necessary to get you into your divine destiny. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish when God puts a little pressure on and you get out of that safe zone and step over into the faith zone.