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.