Realign Your Focus to Stay on Course | Victoria Osteen

Let’s set our focus on the important things in life. When you focus on honoring God and pursuing your destiny, you’re setting yourself up for victory!

>> VICTORIA OSTEEN: THANK

YOU, LORD.

WE ARE BELIEVERS IN THIS

PLACE.

WE LOVE YOU THIS MORNING,

AMEN.

WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL, I

LOVED TO GO TO THE BEACH WITH

MY FAMILY.

WE WOULD GET TO THE BEACH,

AND I REMEMBER SO WELL WE HAD

THIS HUGE RED UMBRELLA THAT

WE’D DRILL DOWN IN THE SAND.

WE’D PUT OUR BEACH BLANKET

OUT, GET OUR ICE CHEST, GET

OUR SPOT READY FOR A DAY AT

THE BEACH, AND AS SOON AS IT

WAS SET, I’D TAKE OFF TO THE

WATER.

I COULD SPEND HOURS OUT IN

THE WAVES, JUST HAVING SUCH A

GOOD TIME, AND ONE DAY, I HAD

BEEN OUT THERE, SEEMS LIKE

FOR SEVERAL HOURS.

IN FACT, I HAD MADE IT TO THE

SECOND SANDBAR.

NOW, IF YOU KNOW WHAT THOSE

SANDBARS ARE, THEY’RE DEEP

SPOTS, AND THEN YOU GET ON

THE SANDBAR, AND IT’S LIKE

YOU’RE ON THE SHORE.

YOU CAN BE WAY OUT, AND YOU

CAN BE JUST UP TO YOUR KNEES.

SO I HAD MADE MY WAY ALL THE

WAY OUT TO THE SECOND

SANDBAR.

I WANTED MY FAMILY TO SEE ME

FROM SHORE BECAUSE I THOUGHT,

“I AM–REALLY DONE WELL

TODAY.”

SO I STOOD UP, AND I BEGAN TO

WAVE MY HANDS, LOOKING FOR MY

FAMILY.

I WAS SEARCHING EVERYWHERE

FOR WHERE OUR SPOT WAS, WHERE

WE HAD SET THAT RED UMBRELLA.

WHAT I REALIZED, I COULD SEE

A LOT OF PEOPLE.

I COULD SEE A LOT OF THINGS,

BUT I COULDN’T SPOT MY

FAMILY.

WELL, I GOT KIND OF

PANICKING.

AS A LITTLE GIRL, I THOUGHT,

“I GOT TO FIND MY FAMILY.

WHERE DID THEY GO?”

SO I SWAM AS QUICK AS I

COULD, WORKED REALLY HARD TO

MAKE IT TO SHORE, LOOKING FOR

MY FAMILY.

I’LL WALK TO THE LEFT, ALL

THE WAY AS FAR AS I COULD.

COULDN’T FIND THEM.

TURNED AROUND, WALKED TO THE

RIGHT, LOOKING AND LOOKING

FOR MY FAMILY, WHEN AT A

DISTANCE, I SPOTTED THAT RED

UMBRELLA, AND CAN I TELL YOU,

AS A LITTLE GIRL, THAT WAS A

HAPPY MOMENT FOR ME.

I THOUGHT, “THERE THEY ARE.

I’M SAFE, AND EVERYTHING IS

OKAY.”

YOU SEE, WHAT I DIDN’T

REALIZE WAS, WHEN I WAS OUT

IN THAT WATER, THOSE

UNDERCURRENTS WERE SLOWLY

TAKING ME DOWN THE BEACH.

IT WAS SO SUBTLE.

I WAS PLAYING, MINDING MY OWN

BUSINESS, BUT THEY JUST DRUG

ME ALL THE WAY DOWN THE BEACH

ABOUT TWO- TO THREE HUNDRED-,

MAYBE MORE, FEET, DOWN THE

BEACH.

I DIDN’T EVEN REALIZE WHAT

WAS HAPPENING TO ME.

YOU KNOW, IN LIFE, IT CAN

BE MUCH LIKE THAT.

THERE ARE UNDERCURRENTS IN

LIFE, TRYING TO DRAG US OFF,

GET US OFF COURSE FROM WHERE

WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE.

I HEAR THESE COMMENTS A LOT:

“I WAS RAISED IN CHURCH.

MY WHOLE LIFE, I WENT TO

CHURCH.

I DON’T KNOW HOW I GOT SO FAR

AWAY FROM GOD.”

SPOKE TO A WOMAN THE OTHER

DAY.

SHE WAS TELLING ME HOW HAPPY

HER MARRIAGE WAS UNTIL THEY

BEGAN TO ARGUE, UNTIL THEY

BEGAN TO NOT BE ABLE TO SEE

EYE TO EYE.

SHE SAID, “WE WERE SO HAPPY

AT FIRST,” SHE SAID, “BUT NOW

WE’VE DRIFTED APART.

WE’VE SEPARATED.

THINGS JUST AREN’T THE

SAME.”

YOU SEE, THOSE ARE THE

RESULTS OF THE UNDERCURRENTS

THAT ARE TRYING TO DESTROY

OUR LIFE, TO GET US OFF

COURSE, AND THOSE ARE THE

THINGS THAT WE NEED TO PAY

ATTENTION TO BECAUSE THEY CAN

BE SO SUBTLE, WE DON’T EVEN

REALIZE THAT THEY’RE

HAPPENING.

UNDERCURRENTS CAN BE MANY

DIFFERENT THINGS.

CAN BE HANGING AROUND WITH

THE WRONG PEOPLE, THE WRONG

FRIENDS, GOING PLACES AND

BEING WITH PEOPLE THAT DON’T

HAVE THE SAME VALUES THAT YOU

DO.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT THE

BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THAT.

IT SAYS, “BAD COMPANY

CORRUPTS GOOD CHARACTER.”

IT ACTUALLY SAYS, “DON’T BE

MISLED.”

DON’T BE MISLED.

UNDERCURRENTS CAN BE BAD

ATTITUDES, CAN BE

SELFISHNESS, LAZINESS, ANGER.

SEE, THESE ARE THE THINGS

THAT CAN SEPARATE FAMILIES.

THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT CAN

CAUSE US TO LOSE GOOD JOBS,

SUCCESSFUL CAREERS.

YOU SEE, IF I WOULD’VE JUST

PAID ATTENTION TO WHERE I WAS

IN RELATION TO WHERE THAT RED

UMBRELLA WAS, I COULD’VE KEPT

MY POSITION.

SEE, THE UNDERCURRENTS WERE

THERE, AND THEY WERE DRAGGING

ME OFF BECAUSE UNDERCURRENTS

WILL ALWAYS HAVE THAT

TENDENCY TO DRAG US, BUT I

COULD’VE MADE THE NECESSARY

ADJUSTMENTS TO GET BACK IN

LINE.

SEE, I COULD HAVE POSITIONED

MYSELF BACK TO WHERE I NEEDED

TO BE.

I THINK ABOUT SAMSON IN THE

BIBLE.

MANY OF YOU KNOW HIS STORY.

THE PROPHETS PREDICTED HIS

BIRTH.

HE WAS A MAN THAT HAD AN

AMAZING DESTINY LINED OUT FOR

HIM.

HE HAD THIS SUPERNATURAL

STRENGTH THAT GOD HAD GIVEN

HIM.

HE WAS TALENTED.

GOD HAD POSITIONED HIM IN AN

AMAZING POSITION, BUT HE WAS

WEAK IN HIS MORALITY.

HE GOT HIS EYES ON THE WRONG

THINGS.

HE LET HIS GUARD DOWN.

YOU SEE, HE DIDN’T KEEP THE

POSITION THAT HE HAD.

THOSE UNDERCURRENTS IN LIFE

DRAGGED HIM OFF, AND HE NEVER

WAS EVERYTHING HE COULD’VE

BEEN.

CAN YOU IMAGINE IF HE

WOULD’VE JUST GOT UP DURING

THE DAY, AT SOME POINT, IF HE

WOULD’VE JUST SAID TO

HIMSELF, “AM I ON THE RIGHT

COURSE?

AM I FOCUSED?

AM I ALIGNED WITH MY PURPOSE?

AM I TREATING PEOPLE RIGHT?

AM I RESPECTING WHAT GOD HAS

GIVEN ME?

AM I WALKING HUMBLY BEFORE

HIM, HONORING HIM WITH WHAT I

DO?”

CAN YOU IMAGINE IF HE

WOULD’VE DONE THAT, THE LIFE

HE COULD’VE LIVED?

SEE, HE WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO

SUFFER SO MUCH PAIN, AND HE

WOULDN’T HAVE ENDED UP IN THE

HANDS OF HIS ENEMY.

YOU SEE, WE ALL NEED TO DEAL

WITH THESE UNDERCURRENTS.

SEE, THEY DON’T GO AWAY.

LIFE IS FULL OF

UNDERCURRENTS.

LIFE IS FULL OF DISTRACTIONS,

TEMPTATIONS.

YOU SEE, WE ALL MAKE

MISTAKES.

WE ALL FALL DOWN SOMETIMES,

BUT WE DON’T HAVE TO STAY

DOWN.

WE CAN REALIGN AND READJUST

OURSELF.

WE’VE JUST GOT TO BE WILLING

TO ASK OURSELF THE QUESTIONS

EVERY DAY: “AM I FULFILLING

MY DESTINY?

AM I HONORING GOD?”

YOU KNOW, IT’S KIND OF LIKE

GETTING OFF YOUR DIET AND

EATING SOME ICE CREAM, AND

THEN YOU GO, “OH, WELL, I’M

SO OFF MY DIET, I’LL JUST GO

GET THE WHOLE GALLON.”

YOU KNOW, WE DO THIS

SOMETIME.

IN FACT, THEY SAY THAT MOST

OF LIFE IS JUST HABITS.

CAN I TELL YOU, WE’VE GOT TO

LOOK AT OUR HABITS?

WE’VE GOT TO SEE IF THESE

HABITS ARE SERVING US,

SERVING OUR FAMILY, CREATING

THE LIFE THAT WE WERE

INTENDED TO HAVE.

YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THESE

THINGS JUST SEEM SMALL AND

INSIGNIFICANT, BUT CAN I TELL

YOU?

IT’S THOSE SMALL THINGS THAT

AREN’T TAKEN CARE OF THAT CAN

DO DAMAGE: THROWING OUR WORDS

AROUND, BEING DISRESPECTFUL

IN A RELATIONSHIP, SAYING

THINGS THAT WE WANT TO.

YOU SEE, YOU COULD SAY TO

YOURSELF, “LOOK, I’M JUST

LETTING OFF A LITTLE STEAM.

THEY KNOW I LOVE THEM.”

“THEY DESERVE IT.

THEY SHOULDN’T HAVE DONE

THAT.”

SEE, WE CAN MAKE EXCUSES FOR

THESE LITTLE THINGS, ALL DAY

LONG: SHOWING UP TO WORK

LATE, THINKING, “YOU KNOW, MY

BOSS ISN’T HERE.

HE DOESN’T EVEN COME TILL

8:30.

I DON’T KNOW WHY HE EXPECTS

ME TO BE HERE AT 8 O’CLOCK.”

SURFING THE INTERNET WHEN THE

COMPANY IS PAYING YOU, NOT

BEING YOUR BEST, SEE, THESE

SEEM SMALL, BUT THESE ARE THE

SMALL THINGS THAT CAN TURN

INTO BIG ISSUES IN OUR LIFE

IF WE’RE NOT CAREFUL.

THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, “IT’S THE

SMALL FOXES THAT SPOIL THE

VINE.”

SEE, IT’S THOSE THINGS THAT

WE DON’T ALWAYS PAY ATTENTION

TO.

THEY’RE SUBTLE.

THEY LIKE TO CAUSE US TO MOVE

FROM THE POSITION THAT WE ARE

SUPPOSED TO BE.

YOU SEE, IF YOU FOUND

YOURSELF DRIFTING IN AREAS

TODAY, I WANT TO TELL YOU,

YOU CAN REFOCUS.

YOU CAN REALIGN YOURSELF.

IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO CORRECT.

YOU CAN START TODAY.

LISTEN TO WHAT IT SAYS IN

COLOSSIANS 3:2.

IT SAYS, “SET YOUR MIND ON

THINGS ABOVE, NOT ON EARTHLY

THINGS.”

YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?

IT MEANS SET YOUR MIND ON THE

HIGHER THINGS.

SET YOUR MIND ON THE THINGS

OF VALUE, THE THINGS OF

IMPORTANCE, THE THINGS THAT

ENRICH YOUR GOD-GIVEN

DESTINY.

YOU ARE FULL OF GIFTS AND

TALENTS.

YOU’VE GOT TO SET YOUR MIND

ON WHERE YOU WANT TO GO WITH

THOSE GIFTS AND TALENTS,

CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE THAT

BRINGS JOY AND LOVE AND

FORGIVENESS.

YOU SEE, JUST LIKE THAT RED

UMBRELLA MARKED MY SPOT, IF I

WOULD’VE JUST SET MY MIND ON

IT, I COULD’VE KEPT MY

POSITION.

WE’VE GOT TO SET OUR MIND ON

HONORING GOD, SET OUR MIND ON

LIVING A LIFE OF INTEGRITY,

SET OUR MIND ON FULFILLING

THE DREAMS THAT GOD HAS PUT

IN OUR HEART.

DON’T THINK THEY’RE TOO BIG.

YOU’VE JUST GOT TO SET YOUR

MIND ON THEM, AND THEY’LL

COME OUT OF YOU.

YOU KNOW, TODAY, LET ME JUST

SAY THIS: THE BIBLE SAYS LAY

ASIDE THOSE WEIGHTS, THOSE

SINS THAT SO EASILY COME

AGAINST US TO GET US OFF

COURSE.

LISTEN, GOD KNOWS HOW EASY IT

IS.

YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE IF YOU

HAVE SINNED.

YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE IF

YOU’VE MOVED OUT OF YOUR

DIRECTION.

THERE IS NO MISTAKE THAT

YOU’VE MADE TODAY THAT WILL

TAKE YOU FROM YOUR DESTINY.

GOD LOVES YOU WITH AN

EVERLASTING LOVE, AND HE’S

SAYING, “IT IS EASY, SO YOU

HAVE TO SET YOUR MIND.”

MAYBE YOU NEED TO ASK FOR

FORGIVENESS TODAY.

MAYBE YOU NEED TO GO TO A

FAMILY MEMBER AND SAY, “HEY,

LISTEN, I HAVE MESSED UP.

I’M GOING TO SET MY MIND, SET

MY HEART ON BEING A GOOD

HUSBAND, WIFE, FATHER.”

WHATEVER IT IS TODAY, YOU CAN

START AND BEGIN AGAIN.

I BELIEVE THAT YOU’VE GOT AN

AMAZING FUTURE IN STORE FOR

YOU.

I BELIEVE THAT GOD IS SAYING

TO YOU, “I KNOW IT’S EASY,

BUT I’VE GIVEN YOU THE POWER

TO OVERCOME THE CURRENTS OF

LIFE.

YOU MAY HAVE TO WADE IN THESE

CURRENTS, BUT YOU CAN CONTROL

YOUR LIFE IN THESE

CURRENTS.”

I BELIEVE AND DECLARE TODAY

THAT GOD HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE

IN STORE FOR YOU, BIGGER THAN

YOU CAN EVER ASK, THINK, OR

IMAGINE.

HE’S GOING TO GOING TO OPEN

NEW DOORS OF OPPORTUNITIES

FOR YOU.

HE’S GOING TO MAKE UP LOST

TIME FOR YOU.

HE’S GOING TO GET YOU TO

WHERE YOU NEED TO BE, IN

JESUS’S NAME, AND IF YOU

BELIEVE THAT, SHOUT A GREAT

BIG “AMEN.”

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