David prayed in Psalm 141, “Lord, set a guard over my mouth. Keep watch over the door of my lips.” He was saying, “God, I am in a difficult situation. Don’t let me speak words that get my life off course. I don’t want to speak what I see and feel. I want to speak what You want. I want to go in Your direction for my life.”
And that’s exactly what you and I need to speak in the midst of the pressures of life. Our words can send us in the direction of God. We serve a positive God who spoke life and light into a dark and void situation and created this world. And He has given us the privilege to do the same—to speak into our situations, to begin to prophesy our future, to direct our life where it needs to go so that we can obtain the miracles that He has for us.
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>> VICTORIA OSTEEN: YOU KNOW,
THE SCRIPTURE TALKS A LOT
ABOUT THE WORDS THAT COME OUT
OF OUR MOUTH, AND SO I WANT
TO ENCOURAGE US WITH THIS
SIMPLE TRUTH TO HAVE
FAITH-FILLED WORDS.
IT’S A SIMPLE TRUTH,
BUT IT HAS A PROFOUND EFFECT
ON OUR LIFE.
THE WORDS THAT COME OUT OF
OUR MOUTH CAN GUIDE OUR LIFE.
THE WORDS THAT CAN COME OUT
OF OUR MOUTH CAN CHANGE
OUR LIFE AND LEAD US
INTO DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS,
DEPENDING ON WHAT’S COMING
OUT OF OUR MOUTH.
THE BOOK OF PROVERBS
IS A BOOK OF WISDOM,
AND IT’S THE WISDOM OF GOD,
AND IT TEACHES US
HOW TO LIVE OUR LIFE.
IT GUIDES US IN THIS JOURNEY
THROUGH LIFE SO THAT WE CAN
TAKE HOLD OF THIS WISDOM,
APPLY IT,
AND IT WILL DIRECT US.
IT WILL GET US TO WHERE
WE NEED TO BE.
IF WE WILL APPLY THIS WISDOM,
IT WILL DIRECT US
TO MIRACLES.
IT’LL DIRECT US
TO THE THINGS OF GOD.
YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE TALKS
ABOUT THE TONGUE.
IT SAYS IT IN JAMES.
IT SAYS THE TONGUE IS A VERY
SMALL PART OF THE BODY.
IT SAYS, BUT WITH ONE SPARK,
JUST LIKE A FOREST FIRE CAN
BEGIN, WITH ONE WORD,
YOU CAN SPARK A FOREST FIRE
IN YOUR OWN LIFE.
IT ALSO COMPARES THE TONGUE
TO A RUDDER OF A BIG SHIP.
NOW, THE RUDDER OF A BIG SHIP
IS A VERY SMALL PART
OF THE SHIP,
AND EVEN THOUGH THE WINDS
COME AGAINST THAT SHIP
AND THE SHIP HAS TO GO
THROUGH RAGING WATERS,
DO YOU KNOW THAT WHICHEVER
WAY THE RUDDER TURNS,
IT CAN CHANGE THE DIRECTION
OF THAT ENTIRE HUGE SHIP?
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PILOT AND
HOW HE DIRECTS THE RUDDER
IS WHERE THE SHIP GOES.
CAN I ENCOURAGE US TO BE
THE PILOT OF OUR TONGUES?
JUST SPEAK WORDS OF FAITH,
TO RELEASE THEM IN THE
ATMOSPHERE, SO THAT OUR WORDS
WILL LEAD US AND GUIDE US
TO THE PLACE WE WANT TO GO.
I WAS TALKING TO A WOMAN
THE OTHER DAY,
AND SHE WAS TALKING
ABOUT HER BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER.
SHE LOVES HER DAUGHTER
SO MUCH, BUT SHE WAS TALKING
ABOUT HER DAUGHTER
HAVING THIS JOB,
AND THE JOB WAS
NOT RECOGNIZING THE TALENTS
THAT HER DAUGHTER HAD.
IN FACT, SHE WAS FEELING LIKE
HER DAUGHTER WASN’T GETTING
THE BREAKS THAT SHE DESERVED,
AND THERE WERE OTHER PEOPLE,
SHE FELT, LESS TALENTED THAN
HER DAUGHTER THAT WERE
STEPPING UP AND GETTING
ALL THE GOOD BREAKS,
GETTING THE OPPORTUNITIES,
AND IT WAS JUST
BREAKING HER HEART.
SHE WAS SO FRUSTRATED.
SHE WAS GOING ON AND ON,
TELLING ME HOW,
IF THIS DOESN’T CHANGE,
THIS IS WHAT’S
GOING TO HAPPEN.
SHE’S GOING TO LOOK UP.
SHE’S GOING TO PASS HER TIME
TO DO WHAT SHE WANTS TO DO.
SHE BEGAN PAINTING THIS
PICTURE OF HER DAUGHTER’S
LIFE, AND IT WAS A PICTURE
OF DEFEAT.
I STOOD THERE,
AND I WAS DEPRESSED.
I THOUGHT, “OH, NO,
IS THIS WHAT’S GOING
TO HAPPEN TO HER DAUGHTER?”,
AND THEN I REALIZED,
“OH, MY GOSH, THIS WOMAN
IS CONVINCING ME.
SHE’S GETTING ME
UPSET AND DEPRESSED,”
AND I LOOKED AT HER,
AND I SAID, “IS THAT WHAT
YOU WANT FOR YOUR
DAUGHTER?”, AND SHE SAID,
“OF COURSE THAT’S NOT WHAT
I WANT FOR MY DAUGHTER,”
AND I SAID, “THEN QUIT
PROPHESYING HER FUTURE.”
SHE WAS ALLOWING FEAR
AND THOSE WORDS TO FUEL
THIS SCENARIO OF FAILURE.
LISTEN, IF SHE WAS
CONVINCING ME, WHAT
WERE THOSE WORDS
GOING TO DO IN
HER DAUGHTER’S LIFE?
YOU SEE, WE CAN EITHER LET
OUR WORDS OF FAITH FUEL OUR
FAITH, OR WE CAN LET FEAR
FUEL OUR DEFEAT.
SEE, IT’S UP TO US.
WE ARE THE PILOT BEHIND
OUR TIME.
WE CAN TURN OUR LIFE
IN THE DIRECTION
THAT WE POINT,
SO I WANT TO ENCOURAGE
US ALL TODAY TO RELEASE
YOUR WORDS OF FAITH.
LISTEN, THE PRESSURES OF LIFE
ARE REAL, AND IT’S IN THOSE
TIMES THAT WE NEED TO BE
AWARE OF WHAT WE’RE SPEAKING.
THE PSALMIST DAVID PRAYED
THIS PRAYER IN PSALM 141.
HE SAID, “SET A GUARD
OVER MY MOUTH, O LORD.
KEEP A WATCH OVER MY LIPS.”
YOU SEE, DAVID WAS IN A VERY
PRESSURED SITUATION.
HE WAS IN A CAVE.
THE ENEMIES WERE
ALL AROUND HIM.
THEY WERE COMING IN ON HIM.
THEY WERE GOING TO DEFEAT
HIM, AND HIS PRAYER WAS THIS:
“GOD, SET A GUARD
OVER MY MOUTH.
KEEP WATCH OVER MY LIPS.”
YOU SEE, IN THE PRESSURE OF
LIFE, HE WAS VERY WELL AWARE
OF WHAT HE WAS SAYING.
LISTEN, I HOPE THIS HAS AS
MUCH A IMPACT ON YOU AS IT
HAS ON ME BECAUSE I REALIZE,
AS DAVID CONTINUED IN THAT
PSALM, HE SAID, “LORD,
I DON’T WANT TO GIVE IN
TO THEIR EVILS.
I DON’T WANT TO SAY
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING.
I DON’T WANT TO EAT THE
DELICACIES OF MY LIPS.
KEEP ME, FATHER,
KEEP ME SEPARATED.
KEEP ME LOOKING UP TO YOU.”
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES
YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO SAY,
SO DON’T SAY ANYTHING.
JUST PRAY, PRAY, PRAY.
PRAY, “GOD, HELP ME.
HELP ME, GOD.”
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES,
WHEN I DON’T KNOW WHAT
TO SAY AND MY MIND
IS SWIRLING,
I JUST BEGIN TO PRAISE.
I JUST BEGIN TO THANK HIM
AND PRAISE HIM.
THE SONGS THAT WE SING HERE
EVERY WEEK, I BEGIN
TO SING THOSE SONGS.
YOU SEE, I’VE LEARNED THEM
HERE.
I’VE GOT THEM IN MY HEART
SO THEY CAN COME
OUT OF MY MOUTH.
WE’VE GOT TO PRAISE
OUR WAY TO VICTORY.
WE’VE GOT TO RELEASE
WORDS OF FAITH.
WE DON’T WANT TO EAT
THE FRUIT OF OUR LIPS.
WE WANT TO DIRECT OUR LIFE
AROUND THE EVIL,
THROUGH THE STORMS,
AND STRAIGHT TO JESUS,
STRAIGHT TO JESUS.
THERE’S A STORY IN MARK 25.
IT’S ABOUT THE WOMAN WHO WAS
BLEEDING IN HER BODY
FOR 12 LONG YEARS.
SHE HAD BEEN TO MANY DOCTORS.
SHE’D DONE EVERYTHING
SHE COULD.
SHE SPENT ALL OF HER MONEY.
SHE WASN’T GETTING BETTER.
SHE WAS ONLY GETTING WORSE.
SHE WAS FRAIL, SHE WAS WEAK,
BUT I LOVE WHAT IT SAYS
IN MARK 25.
IT SAYS, ONE DAY, SHE HEARD
JESUS WAS COMING TO TOWN,
AND SHE SAID TO HERSELF,
“IF I CAN ONLY TOUCH HIM,
I’LL BE HEALED.”
ONE VERSION SAYS,
“SHE KEPT SAYING TO HERSELF,
‘IF I CAN ONLY TOUCH HIM,
I’LL BE HEALED.'”
DO YOU SEE THOSE WORDS OF
FAITH THAT SHE WAS RELEASING
OUT OF HER MOUTH?
I BELIEVE IT’S WHAT GAVE HER
THE POWER THAT DAY TO GET UP
OUT OF HER HOME, PUSH THROUGH
THE CROWDED STREETS
TO FIND HER WAY TO JESUS.
YOU SEE, SHE WAS FRAIL,
SHE WAS WEAK,
SHE HAD TRIED EVERYTHING,
BUT WHEN SHE BEGAN
TO RELEASE THESE WORDS
OF FAITH, “IF I CAN
ONLY TOUCH HIM,
IF I CAN ONLY TOUCH HIM,”
IT CHANGED HER BODY.
LITERALLY, HER SPIRIT GAVE
LIFE TO HER BODY SO SHE COULD
GET UP, GET OUT OF HER HOUSE,
AND BEGIN TO PURSUE HER
FAITH, HER FAITH THAT DAY.
SHE FOUND HERSELF
AT THE FEET OF JESUS.
I CAN SEE HER NOW.
I CAN SEE HER NOW PUSHING
THROUGH, “IF I CAN
ONLY GET TO HIM,
IF I CAN ONLY GET TO HIM.”
SHE CAME UP BEHIND HIM.
SHE GAVE ONE LAST,
“IF I CAN ONLY GET TO HIM.”
SHE STRETCHED OUT HER HAND
AND TOUCHED THE HEM
OF HIS ROBE.
THAT’S ALL SHE COULD REACH
WAS THE HEM OF HIS ROBE
BEFORE HE TOOK THE NEXT STEP,
AND IMMEDIATELY SHE KNEW
HER LIFE WAS CHANGED.
VERY INTERESTING.
JESUS LOOKED AT HIS DISCIPLES
AND SAID, “WHO TOUCHED ME?”
THEY SAID, “THERE’S SO MANY
PEOPLE AROUND US, LORD.
EVERYBODY’S CROWDING AROUND
US,” AND JESUS TURNED AROUND,
AND HE LOOKED AT THAT WOMAN.
HE SAW HER FAITH.
HE SAW THE WORDS COMING
OUT OF HER MOUTH.
HE SAW HOW SHE GOT TO HIM.
HE SAID, “WOMAN,
YOU ARE HEALED.”
DO YOU SEE HOW THOSE WORDS
LED HER TO HER MIRACLE?
THOSE WORDS CHANGED
THE COURSE OF HER LIFE.
SEE, THE INTERESTING THING IS
THAT SHE NOT ONLY HAD TO
FIGHT THROUGH THE CROWD WITH
THOSE WORDS, BUT SHE HAD TO
FIGHT THROUGH THE CROWD
IN HER MIND, THE CROWDED
THOUGHTS THAT WERE
TRYING TO TELL HER,
“JUST STAY HERE.
YOU’VE TRIED EVERYTHING.”
THE OPINIONS OF HER FAMILY
AND FRIEND THAT SAID,
“I’M SORRY, THERE’S NOTHING
WE CAN DO,”
“YOU’RE JUST GOING
TO HAVE TO DIE.”
YOU SEE, SHE HAD CROWDED
THOUGHTS IN HER MIND, BUT
BECAUSE OF HER WORDS
OF FAITH, SHE CHANGED
HER THOUGHTS.
DO YOU KNOW YOUR WORDS CAN
REINFORCE YOUR THOUGHTS?
IF YOU ARE DOWN AND YOU’RE
DISCOURAGED AND YOU SPEAK
DOWN AND DISCOURAGED WORDS,
WORDS LIKE,
“I’M NEVER GOING TO MAKE IT,”
“THIS IS NEVER GOING TO CHANGE,”
DO YOU KNOW THAT IT
REINFORCES THOSE THOUGHTS?
BUT WHEN YOU BEGIN TO SPEAK
FAITH-FILLED WORDS, YOU BEGIN
TO GET THE WORD OF GOD IN
YOUR MOUTH, AND YOU BEGIN
TO SPEAK IT, IT WILL CHANGE
YOUR THOUGHTS.
IT WILL LINE YOU UP AND SET
YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
FOR YOUR LIFE.
YOUR LIFE–YOUR WORDS HAVE
LIFE AND DEATH IN THEM.
DO YOU KNOW GOD SPOKE
TO THE DARKNESS
AND THE VOID OF THIS WORLD,
AND HE BROUGHT LIGHT
AND LIFE TO THIS WORLD.
HE SPOKE IT INTO EXISTENCE,
JUST LIKE THAT WOMAN
PROPHESIED HER LIFE WHEN
SHE SAID, “IF I CAN ONLY
TOUCH HIM, I’LL BE HEALED.”
YOU SEE, SHE PROPHESIED
WITH HER WORDS.
JESUS SAID, “MY WORDS ARE
SPIRIT, AND THEY ARE LIFE.”
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERY ONE
OF US TO TAKE THE WORDS
OF GOD, TO TAKE YOUR
FAITH-FILLED WORDS AND BEGIN
TO DECLARE YOUR VICTORY.
YOU SEE, IT DOESN’T MATTER
ABOUT THE WINDS THAT ARE
COMING AGAINST YOU.
IT DOESN’T MATTER THE STORMS.
YOU CAN PASS THROUGH THOSE
STORMS AND GET
ON THE COURSE TO VICTORY.
YOU CAN GET ON THE COURSE
TO YOUR MIRACLE TODAY.
YOUR WORDS WILL LEAD YOU
BESIDE STILL WATERS.
THEY WILL GUIDE YOU IN THE
PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
THEY WILL SET YOUR FEET
UPON A ROCK.
YOUR WORDS WILL DIRECT YOU
TO THE VERY GARMENT
OF JESUS, AMEN?
AMEN.
YOUR PARTNERSHIP MAKES
THIS MINISTRY POSSIBLE.
YOUR FAITHFUL AND
CONSISTENT MONTHLY SUPPORT
MAKES YOU A CHAMPION OF
HOPE.
THE VISION OF JOEL OSTEEN
MINISTRIES IS TO USE EVERY
AVENUE AVAILABLE TO PRESENT
THE HOPE OF JESUS CHRIST TO
PEOPLE EVERYWHERE.
WE KNOW IT IS THIS HOPE
AND THE TRANSFORMING
POWER OF THE GOSPEL THAT
MAKES AN ETERNAL DIFFERENCE
IN PEOPLE’S LIVES.
TO PARTNER WITH JOEL OSTEEN
MINISTRIES, VISIT
JOELOSTEEN.COM/PARTNER
TODAY.