Don't Settle For Good Enough | Joel Osteen

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We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. God bless you and welcome so good to come into your homes and if you're ever in our area, I hope you'll stop by and be a part of one of our services. I promise you we'll make you feel right at home,

but thanks so much for tuning in today and thank you again for coming out. I'd like to start with something funny. I heard about this senior citizen he was driving down the freeway in his brand new Corvette

with the top down going 80 miles an hour when he noticed flashing lights from a state trooper behind him. Without thinking about it, he floored it to 100 miles an hour. The trooper flipped on his sirens

and the man came to his senses and pulled over. Said officer, "I'm so sorry. I don't know what I was thinking." The state trooper said, "Listen, sir, it's Friday at 4 o'clock. My shift ends in 30 minutes.

If you can give me a reason for speeding

that I've never heard before, then I'll let you go."

He thought about it and said, "Officeer,

“years ago, my wife ran off with a state trooper”

and I thought you were bringing her back." (laughter) The officer said, "Have a great weekend." Hold up your Bible, say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it says I am.

I have what it says I have. I can do what it says I can do. Today I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert.

My heart is receptive. I will never be the same in Jesus' name. God bless you. I want to talk to you today about not settling for good enough.

It's easy to think. My marriage is not what it should be, but at least we're still together. It's good enough. I don't really like this job,

but at least I'm employed. It's good enough. I would love to make A's in school, but I'm not that smart. These C's are good enough.

Too many people are living with things that are less than God's best. They've lost their passion. At one time, they had a big dream. They were excited about their future,

but they hit some bumps along the way. Didn't happen on their timetable. Now they've gotten discouraged,

“thinking that it's never going to happen.”

They accepted as their lot in life. But just because you haven't seen what God promised you come to pass, doesn't mean that it's not going to happen. Don't make the mistake of settling for good enough.

Good enough is not your destiny. You are a child of the most high God. You have seeds of greatness on the inside. You are created to excel, to live and abundant life. You may be struggling in your health,

your finances, with an addiction. It's been that way a long time. Now you're just coast and thinking, what's the use?

It's always going to be this way.

Now you've got to get your fire back. It's not over until God says it's over. You've got to start believing again. Start dreaming again. Start pursuing what God put in your heart.

Genesis 38, there's a story about a woman that was pregnant with twins. When she was giving birth, one of the baby's arms came out. The midwife tied a small quarter around it was going to gently pull him.

But before she could, he pulled his arm back and his brother broke through and came out first. One stretched and one settled. Like this woman, on the inside of each one of us, there are two people.

One says, I'm going to become everything. God's created me to be. I can do all things through Christ. I'm surrounded by God's favor.

The other says, you'll never get out of debt.

The economy's too bad. You'll never lose the weight. You metabolism is all. You'll never break that addiction. Just learn to live with it.

One wants to stretch. The other wants to settle. Now you get to choose which person you're going to be. Too many people make the choice to settle. They believe the lies that you've reached your limits.

You never get any good breaks. Where you are is where you're always going to be. If you're going to see the fullness of what God has in store. You have to have the attitude. I'm not going to let good enough be good enough.

I know I was created for greatness. I was created to excel, to live a healthy life, to overcome obstacles, to fulfill my destiny. I am not going to settle. I'm going to stretch.

I'm going to let go of what didn't work out and reach forward to the new things God has in store. But some of you have lost your fire.

You knew you would beat that sickness. You knew you would get married.

“But you've gone through disappointments.”

Didn't happen the way you thought. Now you've accepted the fact that it's probably not going to happen. You've gotten comfortable with good enough. But God is saying to you what he said to the people of Israel. You have dwell long enough on this mountain.

It's time to move forward. God has new levels in front of you. New opportunities, new relationships, promotions, breakthroughs. But you've got to stir up what God put on the inside. The dreams, the promises that you push down.

Thought all, it's not going to happen Joel. I'm too old. I don't have the connections. I don't know the right people. No God has it all figured out.

If you'll start believing again. Start dreaming again.

“Start pursuing what God put in your heart.”

God will make away where you don't see away. He'll connect you to the right people. He will open doors that no man can shut. What God spoke over your life. What he promised you in the night.

What he whispered in your spirit. Those hidden dreams he will bring to pass. See, just because you gave up on a dream doesn't mean God gave up. Just because you decided you're not going to get well.

Never break the addiction, never get married.

You might have changed your mind. But the good news is God didn't change his mind. He still has a victorious plan in front of you. Why don't you get an agreement with God? I read a story about a young man that had a dream to play professional football.

In high school, he was a star player when all kinds of awards. He came from a very small town where everybody knew him. All the children looked up to him. Wanted to be like him, a local hero. But most of the coaches thought he was too small to play in college.

He was turned down by all the major universities. He ended up at a junior college working at a pizza restaurant. Not even playing football. One night, he was delivering a pizza. A 10-year-old boy answered the door.

When this boy saw the young man, his eyes got so big. The boy was star struck. He couldn't believe the player. He had watched so many times thrill the crowd. So quick, so fast, was standing right in front of him.

About that time, the boy's father walked up. The young man gave the father the pizza. The little boy was very confused. He looked up at his father. He looked at the young man and said very innocently,

"What are you doing delivering pizzas?" Those words from a 10-year-old boy led a new fire on the inside. When he got off a work, he went to the gym and started training. That summer, he trained harder than he'd ever trained before. He gained 70 pounds, got bigger, stronger, quicker, faster.

In the fall, he tried out at a major university where he always wanted to play.

He not only made the team, but he became their star player. Two years ago, he was drafted in the first round to play professional football. Today, he is a star in the NFL living out his dream. But here's what he said. It would have never happened if that 10-year-old boy wouldn't have asked me,

"What do you do in selling pizzas?" My question today, have you settled somewhere way beneath what you know God has put in you? Have you given up on a dream? Let go of a promise because it didn't happen the first time.

You had a setback. Somebody told you, "No, you're not talented enough. You're not big enough."

“I asked you respectfully, "What do you do in there?”

You have so much in you. You are a full of talent, ideas, creativity, potential. When God breathes life into you, he put a part of himself in you. You have the DNA of Almighty God.

You were never created to be average, to barely get by,

to always struggle, to just have to take the leftovers. You were created as the head and not the tail. You are equipped, empowered, fully loaded, lacking nothing. Don't you dare settle for second best. Don't get stuck in a rut, thinking that you've reached your limits.

Draw the line in the sand and say, "That's it. I've let good enough be good enough long enough. Today is a new day. May not have in the first time, the fifth time or the 30th time. But I'm not going to sell.

I'm going to start stretching my faith.

I'm going to become everything. God's created me to be. Listen, when you do the natural,

“God will show up and do the supernatural.”

When you do what you can, God will come and do what you cannot. Don't take the easy way out, stand strong and fight the good fight of faith. In the Scripture, Abraham is listed as one of the heroes of faith. He's the one that God made one of the first covenants with. But what's interesting is God spoke to Abraham's father many years before

and told him to go where he told Abraham. Says in Genesis 11 that Abraham's father left Err and headed out toward Canaan. He had his goal. He was going to the promised land just like God told Abraham.

But it says he stopped along the way and settled in Haran. Why did he stop? There were too many difficulties. It was hard traveling with all of his flocks and herds. He had his family, his possessions.

It wasn't comfortable. He finally decided, I can't go any further.

“I know this isn't the promised land, but it's good enough.”

At least we can survive out here. At least we can make it. How many times do we do the same thing? We start off right. We've got a big dream.

We're going to fulfill our destiny. But along the way, we face opposition. At Versity arises. Too many times we say like Abraham's father, what's the use?

I'm never going to break this addiction.

My marriage is never going to get better. I'll never accomplish my dreams. I'm just going to settle here. It's good enough. No, I want to light a new fire in you today.

You are not weak, defeated, lacking. You have been armed with strength for every battle. That obstacle is no match for you. You have the most powerful force in the universe breathing in your direction.

Now don't be a weakling, be a warrior. Your marriage is worth fighting for. Your health is worth fighting for. Your dreams, your children. They are worth fighting for.

You've got to dig your heels in and say I am in it to win it. I know God didn't bring me this far to leave me here. I'm not going to settle halfway. Three-fourths of the way or nine-tints of the way. I'm going to make it all the way in to my promise land.

“If you're going to be victorious, you have to have a made-up mind.”

You've got to be determined. You're not going to give up when it gets difficult. You're not going to complain because it's taken a long time. Not going to get discouraged because you went through a setback. You know everything God promised you is worth fighting for.

So you are in it for the long haul. Now some of you today, you need to pull up your stakes. You can't halfway like Abraham's father. You've gotten comfortable.

Decided that your dreams are never going to come to pass.

Your health is never going to improve. I'm asking you to pack up your tent. Gather up your belongings and start moving forward. You may have taken a temporary delay, but that's okay. That didn't stop your destiny.

Today can be your new beginning. God is breathing new life into your spirit. He has greater victories in front of you. Get a vision for it. You say you all this sounds good, but I've been single a long time.

I don't think I'll ever meet the right person. Or I work hard, but I never get any promotion. Every time you dwell on those negative discouraging thoughts, you are digging another stake halfway towards your promise land. First place we lose the battle is in our own thinking.

If you don't think you can be successful, then you never will be.

If you don't think you can overcome the past, meet the right person, accomplish your dreams, you'll get stuck right where you are. You've got to change your thinking. Listen right now, the creator of the universe is arranging things in your favor. He said no good thing where he withhold because you walk uprightly.

He's not going to withhold the right person, the wisdom, the breaks, the turnaround. Get rid of a negative defeated mentality. Make room in your thinking for the new thing God wants to do. He wants to take you all the way in to your promise land. I read about this professor at a major university.

He was in class about to pass out the final exam. The most important test of the year. Before he did, he told his students how proud he was of them. Because they had worked so hard, he made them a special offer.

Just raise your hand and I'll give you a sea. You won't even have to take the test.

“One hand slowly went up, then another, and another.”

Until about half of the students opted out of taking the test. They walked out of the room so relieved, so happy. The professor went on to pass out the test to the rest of the students. He placed it face down on the desk, asked them not to turn it over until he instructed them to. For the next few minutes, he encouraged them about how they were going to do great things in life.

And how they should always strive to do their best.

Then he gave the word that it was okay. Turn the test over and get started. The test only had two sentences. It read "Congratulations, you just made an A." This is what we do many times.

We settle for a C, not realizing God has an A in our future. I don't think I'll ever get over this sickness. I'm just learning to live with it. That's taken a C. You've got to change your thinking.

God is restoring health into me. I will live and not die. I'm getting stronger, healthier, better. That's going for the A. Well, I'm getting up there in years.

“You know how your health starts to go downhill.”

That's taken a C.

I'll never break this addiction.

I've had it since high school. I've had it because of the C. How about this one, Joel? This guy I'm dating. I know he's not good for me.

He didn't treat me right. But I may not ever meet anybody else. That's not a C. That's a D. That's an A.

God has an A, but you'll never see it if you keep taking the Cs. Yes, the Cs are easier. You don't have to stretch. You don't have to get out of your comfort zone. But you'll never be truly fulfilled if you keep settling for Cs.

The good news is, God already has A's in your future. He has the right person. I have to be married. A successful career. Hell, hold this freedom victory.

Don't take the easy way out. The A's are worth fighting for.

“I can't think of much that would be sadder than to come to the end of life”

and have to wonder what could I have become. If I didn't settle for good enough. What could I have been if I didn't take so many Cs. But instead, I press forward, striving to be my very best. You may have taken some Cs in the past.

We all have. But make a decision with me from now on. You're only going for the A's. I know some of you think of a Joel. I'm married a C. What should I do?

You stick with him and make him into an A. But here's the key. Don't look at your husband now. That's a wrong time. Straight ahead. Here's the key.

If you're not seeing in your life what God promised in your spirit, then keep moving forward. It's only temporary. Like the young man delivering pizzas, you may be doing something that's below your potential.

Working at a job, you're not even using your gifts. Don't slack off when you're there. Keep being your best. But see that as only temporary. That's just a season that you're passing through.

Don't put your stakes down. If where you're living doesn't match what God put in your spirit. Be grateful. Keep a good attitude. But see it as only temporary.

Don't settle there. If the medical report doesn't agree with what God says about you.

Don't accept it as the way it's always going to be.

Your attitude should be. This is just a season that I'm passing through. I'm coming into health. Hold this victory. Even if it's something good.

Maybe God has blessed you. A family, a job, a health. You've seen his favor. But you know there are greater levels in front of you. It's easy to think.

Joel, I'm happy. I have no complaints. God's been good to me. But I've learned that good is the enemy of great. You may be doing good.

You're using your gifts. But deep down you know you have more in you. Don't let good be an excuse to keep you from God's best. Stir up your greatness. Stretch into a new level.

This is where the people of Israel missed it. God brought them out of slavery. They were headed toward the promised land. A land flowing with milk and honey. The spies came back and said Moses,

we have never seen such a magnificent land. So beautiful. Luscious green. The fruits and vegetables were like nothing that experienced.

They were so big. That's the vision God had in front of them. That was the aid. But in the wilderness they saw God's goodness. They saw God part the Red Sea.

Bring water out of Iraq. Rain down Manor from Heaven.

“But do you know that was all only temporary provision?”

That was only the sea. The mistake they made is when they came to the promised land there were people living on it. All they had to do was fight for the land and God promised them the victory.

The problem is that group was not willing to fight.

They thought it's not worth it. It's too much trouble besides those people are bigger than us anyway. I believe one reason they settled for the sea so easily is because they had seen God's favor in the wilderness. They thought it's not so bad out here.

God takes care of us. He feeds us. He closes us. It's good enough. They were too easily satisfied.

They didn't realize everything God had done after that point was only temporary provision. It was to take them in to their land of abundance. Most of you can say like me, you've seen God be good to you.

God's bless you with health. A family, a job. He's open doors that should not have opened. He's shown your favor protected you. Can I tell you that was only temporary provision?

You have not made it into your promised land. God is taking you somewhere greater than you've ever imagined. The Scripture says, "No I has seen. No ear has heard. No mind has imagined.

The amazing things God has in store for those that love the Lord." Now don't make the mistake they did

“and build a house where you should be pitching a tent.”

Don't let your temporary provision become permanent. Yes, God's been good to you, but you haven't seen anything yet. What God has in your future will supersede what you've seen in the past. Thank God for His goodness. Be grateful for the red seas that part.

Thank Him for the protection, the provision, the favor. But if it's not more than you can ask or think, be bold enough to pick up your stakes. And say, "God, this is all great. You've been awesome in my life and I thank you for it.

But God, I believe this is only temporary provision.

Where you're taking me is to a land of abundance, a place like I've never experienced before.

That's not being selfish. That's releasing your faith for the fullness of your destiny. After all, God said, "I will give you houses that you didn't have to build. You will reap from vineyards that you did not plan." One version says, "May the God of your fathers make you a thousand times more than you are."

I don't know about you, but I can't settle here. I've got to pull up my stakes. God has a thousand times more. More joy, more peace, more influence, more wisdom. More ideas, more creativity, more good right. Let's take the limits off of God.

All right, let me finish. Let's take the limits off of God. When my father went to be with the Lord in 1999, I stepped up to pastor the church. One of our goals is, if we could just maintain what my parents had built,

we thought we would be doing good.

“But God's plan for our life is much bigger than our own.”

God doesn't want us to get stuck at one level. He's a God of increase. We didn't maintain the church begin to grow. Before long, that 8,000 seats sanctuary. It was filled to the brim and we needed more room.

After about nine months, we had to add a second Sunday morning service.

A few months later, a Saturday night service. Later, even another service. I was so amazed. I thought for sure, that was our promised land. Seeing that other building, filled three or four times a week. But looking back now, I realized that was only temporary provision.

That was God just sustaining us while we were on the way to where he was really taking us. One day, God opened up the doors to this place, the former compact center. He partnered some red seeds and God gave us a building that was already built. That other location, it didn't have any drive-by traffic. You had to want to go out there to church.

But this new place, it's on the second busiest freeway in the nation. Friends, God has houses that you didn't have to build. He has vineyards that you didn't have to plant. You may be blessed today. God's been good to you. But what's in your future is exceedingly abundantly above and beyond.

Don't you dare settle where you are.

Now, don't be surprised if the two voices, the two people start talking to you.

“One wants you to settle. It'll tell you, this is not for you today.”

You've reached your limit. You've made too many mistakes. You never get any good breaks.

The other will tell you this is for you today. Make room for God to do something new, something big, something out of the ordinary. Why don't you let that voice take root? When Joshua was leaving the people of Israel, God said, Joshua, you have not passed this way before.

God is saying the same thing to us. Something out of the ordinary is coming your way. New levels of favor, unprecedented opportunities, divine connections, God has aes in your future. People already lined up to be good to you.

What makes them an A is you don't have to find them. They'll come find you. When you honor God, his blessings will chase you down. You won't be able to outrun the good things of God. My challenge today, don't settle where you are in your health.

Your relationships, your career, your walk with the Lord. Keep stretching. Keep growing. Keep believing. Keep dreaming. Don't let good enough be good enough. Be determined to become everything God created you to be. Some of you have dwelt on that same mountain long enough

It's time to pull up your stakes. Pack up your belongings. Start moving forward. In large your vision. Make room in your thinking for the new thing God wants to do. Don't let your temporary provision become permanent.

If you learn this principle of stretching and not settling, then you will see the fullness of what God has in store.

“I believe you will overcome obstacles, accomplish dreams.”

You're not like Abraham's father, but like Joshua. You're going to make it all the way in to your promise land. I declare it in Jesus name. If you receive it, can you say amen?

We never like to close our broadcast without giving you an opportunity

to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say Lord Jesus. I'll repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I'll make you my Lord and Savior.

If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in a good Bible-based church. Keep God first place. He's going to take your places that you've never dreamed of. We all go through disappointments and things that are not fair. But God sees every hurt, every injustice.

And He's promised to pay you back for the unfair things. I love to send you my new resource, double for your trouble. It's filled with inspiration, doubt you stay in faith. And not get bitter and think, "Why me?" No, that setback may have been painful,

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If you've never been to Lakewood,

we have a great opportunity to come. We call it homecoming weekend. We'd love to meet you and your family. You can see the building, a tin one of the services. It's a great time to be a part of the Lakewood family.

Looking forward to seeing you at homecoming weekend.