If we’re going to stand under the trials of life, we have to learn to walk in peace. God gave us His joy to strengthen us in every season.

>> VICTORIA OSTEEN: WE LOVE

YOU SO MUCH.

IT’S FUN TO BE IN

THE HOUSE OF THE LORD.

IT’S FUN TO CELEBRATE A GOD

WHO IS FOR US

AND NOT AGAINST US.

CAN YOU IMAGINE COMING TO A

GOD WHO YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT

HE THINKS ABOUT YOU, YOU

DON’T KNOW HOW HE FEELS

ABOUT YOU, YOU DON’T KNOW?

BUT WE DON’T COME TO

A GOD LIKE THAT.

WE COME TO A GOOD GOD.

HE’S HAS ALREADY TOLD US

THAT HE LOVES US WITH AN

EVERLASTING LOVE,

THAT HE REDEEMED US

FOR HIS GOOD PLEASURE.

HE IS PLEASED WITH YOU TODAY,

HE LOVES YOU, HE GAVE YOU

HIS VERY BEST, AND THAT IS

SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE.

THAT’S SOMETHING TO REMIND

OURSELVES OF, TO STIR UP

EVERY SINGLE DAY OF OUR LIFE,

BECAUSE LIFE DOESN’T

REMIND US OF THAT.

LIFE TRIES TO TELL US

SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

IT TRIES TO SHOW US

DIFFICULTIES, HEARTACHES,

HARDSHIPS,

BUT JESUS IS SAYING,

“I’VE GIVEN YOU MY JOY.

I’VE GIVEN YOU WHAT YOU NEED

TO DEFEAT THE POWER OF

THE ENEMY AND STAY STRONG

IN THIS LIFE,” AMEN?

YOU’VE GOT WHAT IT TAKES TO

STAND STRONG IN THE LORD

JESUS CHRIST, AND THAT’S

WHAT I WANT TO TALK

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TODAY.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT STAYING

STRONG IN GOD THROUGH JOY.

THE BIBLE SAYS THAT THE JOY

OF THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH.

THAT’S WHAT NEHEMIAH TOLD

THE PEOPLE WHO HAD–

WERE DOWNCAST.

HE SAID, “GO EAT, CELEBRATE.

THE JOY OF THE LORD

IS YOUR STRENGTH.”

IT IS WHAT IS GOING

TO SUSTAIN YOU.

IT’S GOING TO FIGHT OFF

ANXIETY.

IT’S GOING TO HELP BALANCE

YOUR LIFE, AND JESUS SAID

THE JOY THAT HE HAD,

HE GAVE IT TO US.

HE SAID, “MY JOY I GIVE

TO YOU, AND I GIVE IT

TO THE FULL.”

NOW, THE JOY THAT JESUS GAVE

US IS NOT DEPENDENT ON

WHAT IS GOING AROUND–

ON AROUND US.

SEE, THE JOY THAT JESUS GAVE

US IS ON THE INSIDE OF US.

YOU SEE, GOD DOES HIS WORK

ON THE INSIDE OF US.

WHEN YOU SAID YES TO JESUS

CHRIST, THE OUTSIDE DIDN’T

IMMEDIATELY CHANGE,

BUT THE INSIDE DID.

YOU SEE, HE PUT SEEDS

ON THE INSIDE OF YOU.

HE GAVE YOU A NEW HEART, A

NEW START, THE ABILITY TO

TAKE WHAT HE’S PUT ON THE

INSIDE OF YOU AND MAKE IT

COME OUT OF YOU.

SEE, GOD’S BLESSINGS START ON

THE INSIDE, BUT THEY SHOW UP

ON THE OUTSIDE.

YOU SEE, I HAVE A LEMON TREE,

AND WHEN I GOT IT AND PLANTED

IT, IT HAD NO LEMONS ON IT.

IT WAS A LEMON TREE,

BUT IT HAD NO LEMONS,

BUT I TOOK CARE OF IT.

I WATERED IT.

I FED IT.

I MADE SURE THAT IT WAS, YOU

KNOW, WAS IN THE RIGHT SOIL.

I DID EVERYTHING I COULD TO

CULTIVATE AND DEVELOP THE

LEMONS, AND, SURE ENOUGH,

THAT LEMON TREE THAT HAD

NO LEMONS ON THE OUTSIDE

PRODUCED THEM

FROM THE INSIDE.

SO, MY LEMON TREE NOW HAS

FRUIT THAT I CAN EAT FROM,

AND DO YOU KNOW

THAT’S HOW JOY WORKS?

JOY IS INSIDE OF US, BUT WE

MUST CULTIVATE IT, WE MUST

TAP INTO IT, BECAUSE THERE IS

FRUIT IN THERE THAT WE HAVE

TO EAT FROM IF WE ARE GOING

TO OVERCOME THE TRIALS

OF LIFE.

YOU SEE, YOU MAY BE

IN A TRIAL, YOU MAY BE IN A

DIFFICULTY, YOU MAY HAVE LOST

A LOVED ONE, YOU MAY HAVE A

CHILD WHO IS WAYWARD OR FAR

OFF AND YOU FEEL SORROW,

BUT DO YOU KNOW ON

THE OTHER SIDE

OF THAT SORROW,

PARALLEL WITH THAT, IS JOY?

IT’S THE FRUIT OF JOY THAT

YOU CAN EAT FROM, AND IT

CAUSES YOU TO BE STRONG, AND

IT CAUSES YOU TO STAND FIRM,

AND IT CAUSES YOU TO

OVERCOME, AND THAT’S WHY

JOY IS SO IMPORTANT.

IN FACT, THE ISRAELITES,

WHEN GOD BROUGHT THEM

OUT OF CAPTIVITY, FROM THE

OPPRESSION OF THE PHARAOH,

IT SAYS IN SCRIPTURE THAT HE

BROUGHT THEM OUT WITH JOY

AND LEAD THEM FORTH IN PEACE.

YOU SEE, I BELIEVE WHAT HE

WAS SHOWING US WAS IF YOU’RE

GOING TO COME OUT OF THESE

DARK PLACES, IF YOU’RE GOING

TO STAND UNDER THE TRIALS

OF LIFE, YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE

TO COME OUT WITH JOY.

YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO USE

THE JOY TO GET YOU OUT OF

CAPTIVITY, TO GET YOU OUT OF

THOSE ANXIOUS THOUGHTS, TO

GET YOU OUT OF THAT DEFEAT

AND DISCOURAGEMENT.

JOY IS THE KEY OF COMING OUT.

JOY IS YOUR KEY,

AND IT’S INSIDE OF YOU,

BUT IT’S LIKE ANYTHING ELSE.

YOU HAVE TO TAP INTO IT.

YOU HAVE TO DEVELOP IT.

YOU HAVE TO USE IT.

THE BIBLE SAYS

IN THIS WORLD YOU’RE GOING

TO HAVE TROUBLES.

JESUS SAID THAT.

HE WASN’T PROMISING US THAT

WE WEREN’T GOING TO HAVE

TROUBLES, BUT DO YOU KNOW

WHAT HE SAID ABOUT

THOSE TROUBLES?

HE SAYS, “HERE IS THE KEY.

BE OF GOOD CHEER.

BE OF GOOD CHEER BECAUSE

I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.

BE OF GOOD CHEER FOR

I HAVE OVERCOME.”

YOU KNOW WHAT HE’S SAYING?

HE’S SAYING, “BRIGHTEN UP.

BRIGHTEN YOUR FACE UP.”

ONE SCRIPTURE SAYS,

“REJOICE IN THE LORD,

AND AGAIN I SAY REJOICE.”

“REJOICE” MEANS TO BRIGHTEN.

YOU SEE, THERE’S A LIGHT ON

THE INSIDE OF YOU, BUT YOU’VE

GOT TO FLIP IT ON, AND THE

KEY TO JOY IS THIS.

I REALLY BELIEVE THIS,

BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE JUST SEEM

TO HAVE A DIFFERENT

PERSONALITY.

THEY CAN JUST BE MORE JOYOUS.

WELL, SOME PEOPLE MAY BE A

LITTLE MELANCHOLY AND THEY

HAVE TO WORK ON THIS, BUT THE

TRUTH IS IN A TRIAL,

WE ALL NEED THIS JOY.

WE ALL NEED IT, SO WE MUST

DEVELOP IT.

LISTEN, I DIDN’T TAKE MY

LEMON TREE AND PUT IT IN THE

GROUND AS SOON AS I NEEDED

LEMONS.

I PUT IT IN THE GROUND.

I CULTIVATED IT.

I DID WHAT IT TOOK SO THE

LEMONS WOULD COME OUT, THEN I

COULD TAKE THEM, THEN I COULD

USE THEM, AND, SEE, WHEN YOU

NEED JOY, YOU CAN’T TRY TO

CULTIVATE IT RIGHT AWAY.

YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO TAP

INTO IT.

THE FRUIT HAS TO ALREADY BE

THERE, OKAY?

SO, I THINK EVERY DAY WE HAVE

TO PRACTICE JOY.

WE HAVE TO LAUGH IN THE FACE

OF ADVERSITY.

WE HAVE TO SMILE WHEN THERE

IS NOTHING TO SMILE ABOUT.

YOU KNOW, I WAS TALKING TO A

FRIEND OF MINE THE OTHER DAY,

AND SHE’S BEEN VERY

DISCOURAGED.

SHE’S BEEN VERY DOWN.

SHE’S HAVING SOME

DIFFICULTIES WITH HER

DAUGHTER AND IS GOING THROUGH

A DIVORCE, AND SHE HAS A

YOUNG CHILD, AND YOU KNOW AS

A MOTHER IN HERE WHEN YOUR

CHILD IS NOT DOING GOOD, IT’S

HARD FOR YOU TO DO GOOD,

RIGHT?

I MEAN, YOU JUST WORRY, AND

I’VE WATCHED HER JUST GET

MORE DISCOURAGED AND MORE

DISCOURAGED, AND NOW I SEE

HER HEALTH IS BEING

JEOPARDIZED AND–BECAUSE

ANXIETY AND STRESS WILL

JEOPARDIZE OUR PHYSICAL

BEING.

SO, I BEGAN TO TALK TO HER

THE OTHER DAY BECAUSE I

THOUGHT, “YOU KNOW WHAT?

I’VE JUST WATCHED DAY AFTER

DAY AFTER DAY.

YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO

ENCOURAGE HER.”

SO, SHE–WE’VE BEEN FRIENDS

FOREVER.

I’VE WORKED WITH HER FOREVER.

WE REALLY LOVE EACH OTHER, SO

SHE KNOWS ME PRETTY WELL.

BUT I WALKED IN, AND I JUST

STARTED DECIDING THAT I WAS

JUST GOING TO MAKE HER LAUGH,

YOU KNOW?

I WAS JUST GOING TO BRING THE

JOY IN HER, AND SO I WAS

LIKE, “HEY, CAN I SEE YOUR

TEETH?”

SHE THOUGHT, “WHAT?”

THE NEXT THING I KNOW I START

SEEING A LITTLE BIT OF HER

TEETH, AND I SAID, “OH, MAN,

YOUR TEETH ARE BEAUTIFUL.

LOOK AT YOUR SMILE.

I HAVEN’T SEEN YOU SMILE

IN A LONG TIME,” AND SO I JUST

START LAUGHING AND CRACKING

UP, AND I’M BEING SO SILLY

THAT SHE STARTS LAUGHING,

YOU KNOW?

SO, I BEGAN TO JUST

BRIGHTEN HER.

I BEGAN TO ENCOURAGE HER JOY.

SEE, I WAS SIMPLY CHANGING

THE ATMOSPHERE IN HER MIND.

I WAS SIMPLY CHANGING THAT SO

THAT SHE WOULD BE OPENED UP

TO WHAT GOD WANTS TO SAY TO

HER.

IT’S SO FUNNY BECAUSE–OKAY,

YOU ALL, I’M GOING TO JUST

ADMIT SOMETHING.

SOMETIMES WHEN I TALK TO YOU

GUYS, LIKE, I GOT THIS LIGHT

THAT IS SHINING IN MY EYE,

I’M TRYING TO THINK OF WHAT

I’M SUPPOSED TO SAY, I’M

BEING ALL SERIOUS, AND I SEE

SOMETIMES WHEN I WATCH

MYSELF, I’M ALL COOPED LIKE

THIS WHEN I’M TALKING TO YOU

ALL, AND I THINK, “I GOT TO

STOP THAT.

HOW CAN I STOP THAT?”

I TOLD JOEL.

I SAID, “I DON’T MEAN TO,

BECAUSE I’M SUCH A HAPPY

PERSON, AND I–BUT I JUST ALL

OF A SUDDEN START FROWNING,

TRYING TO–AND JOEL SAID,

“OH, IT’S GOING TO TAKE YOU A

YEAR TO STOP THAT IF YOU

START PRACTICING RIGHT NOW.”

I’M LIKE, “HELLO,

MR. ENCOURAGEMENT.”

SO, I READ THAT IF YOU PUT A

PENCIL IN YOUR MOUTH, BETWEEN

YOUR TEETH, THAT IT MAKES THE

SIDES OF YOUR MOUTH GO UP.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE STUDIES

THAT SAY IF YOU’LL CHANGE

YOUR FACIAL EXPRESSIONS,

IT DOES SOMETHING TO YOU

EMOTIONALLY, SO WHAT I

STARTED DOING WAS SITTING AT

MY COMPUTER WITH A PENCIL

IN MY MOUTH SO I CAN JUST

BE SMILING ALL THE TIME.

SO, I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT, AND

I HAD–TOOK TWO PENCILS WITH

ME WHEN I WAS TALKING TO

MY FRIEND, AND I SAID, I SAID,

“LOOK AT THIS,” AND I PUT A

PENCIL IN MY MOUTH, AND I

SAID, “LOOK HOW IT MAKES ME

SMILE.”

I SAID, “HERE, YOU PUT THIS

PENCIL IN YOUR MOUTH.”

I SAID, “I WASHED IT.”

WE’RE BOTH STANDING THERE

LOOKING AT EACH OTHER WITH

PENCILS IN OUR MOUTHS, BUT

CAN I TELL YOU THE ATMOSPHERE

CHANGED.

THE JOY CAME.

THE BLESSING CAME.

THE PROBLEMS SEEMED TO BE

SMALLER.

YOU SEE, THE JOY WAS THERE TO

BE HER STRENGTH, AND I BEGAN

TO TELL HER ABOUT THE

PROMISES OF GOD AND THE

GOODNESS OF GOD, THE THINGS

THAT REALLY PRODUCE THAT JOY,

AND I SAID, “YOU KNOW, YOU’RE

WORRIED ABOUT YOUR CHILD, AND

THAT’S CERTAINLY

UNDERSTANDABLE, BUT I WANT TO

EXPLAIN SOMETHING TO YOU THAT

I TRULY BELIEVE.

YOUR CHILD, YOUR DAUGHTER,

WHAT SHE’S GOING THROUGH

RIGHT NOW, GOD HAS GIVEN HER

THE GRACE TO GO THROUGH IT.

GOD HAS GIVEN HER THE GRACE

TO GO THROUGH IT.

HE HASN’T GIVEN YOU THE GRACE

THAT SHE HAS.

HE’S GIVEN YOU THE GRACE TO

HELP HER THROUGH IT, BUT YOU

CAN’T HELP HER THROUGH IT

WITH A LONG FACE.

YOU CAN’T HELP HER THROUGH IT

WITH DISCOURAGEMENT.

GOD WANTS YOU TO STIR UP YOUR

JOY.

HE WANTS YOU TO BRING A SENSE

OF HAPPINESS AND JOY AND

ELATION TO HER LIFE.

YOU NEED TO ELEVATE AND PUSH

THAT JOY UP FOR HER AND FOR

YOURSELF.”

DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU PUSH JOY

UP IT SIGNALS VICTORY?

IT’S LIKE WHEN A GUY RUNS AND

HE WINS THE RACE.

THE FIRST THING HE DOES IS

THROWS HIS HAND UP.

IT’S BECAUSE HE HAS VICTORY.

WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR POSTURE

AND LET THE JOY COME OUT IN

OUR LIFE.

WE NEED TO PUT A PENCIL IN

OUR MOUTHS IF NECESSARY,

BECAUSE GOD WORKS

THROUGH OUR JOY.

HE BROUGHT THEM OUT WITH JOY

BECAUSE HE KNEW THEY NEEDED

THE STRENGTH TO GO ON.

THEY DIDN’T EVEN KNOW ALL THE

THINGS THEY WERE GOING TO

FACE, BUT IF THEY COULD GO

OUT WITH JOY, IF THEY COULD

TAP INTO THAT JOY, THAT JOY

WOULD BE THERE FOR THEM,

WOULD BE THEIR STRENGTH.

SO, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERY

ONE OF US TODAY TO PRACTICE

JOY EVERY DAY.

LOOK AT WHAT YOUR FACE IS

SAYING.

WHAT IS IT SIGNALING TO YOUR

BODY AND YOUR MIND?

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT?

THE KINGDOM OF GOD STARTS

WITHIN US, AND IT FLOWS OUT

OF US, AND THAT’S WHAT BRINGS

THE BLESSING.

SO, I ENCOURAGE YOU DON’T LET

LIFE’S DIFFICULTIES PUSH YOUR

JOY DOWN.

YOU PUSH YOUR JOY UP BECAUSE

IT SIGNALS VICTORY, AMEN?

AMEN.

HE’S AN AWESOME GOD.