God Wants To Surprise You | Joel Osteen

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We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. God bless you again.

Always, our joy, our honor to have you here.

It's a joy to come into your homes. And we say it every week, but we believe in God's very best in your life. If you're ever in the Houston 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. Thanks again for coming out today. I like to start with something funny each week. I heard about this mom.

She had two young boys that were known for their bad behavior. Anytime trouble happened, they were sure to be a part of it. And so she decided to send them one at a time to see their pastor and see if he could help. The pastor asked the first boy,

"Where is God?" He sat there silently. He asked him again, "Where is God?" Still no reply. The third time he asked,

the young boy bolted out the door, ran home and told his brother,

“"God is missing and they think we did it."”

All right. 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 how God wants to surprise you. What is a surprise? It's something good that happens that we weren't really expecting. Something that makes us feel special.

It lets us know that somebody was thinking about us. As a parent, I love to surprise my children. The other day I saw a pair of earrings that I knew our daughter Alexander would like. I bought them, couldn't wait to get home.

When I saw I said Alexander, I got these for you today. Her little face lit up. She gave me a big hug. That made her whole day.

“And it wasn't so much what I had given her.”

Just a $7 pair of earrings. But it was the fact that she didn't know it was coming. There was no real reason for it. Wasn't her birthday. Wasn't Christmas.

It was just a gift. Simply because I love her. And as her father, I want to make her feel special. I want to bring joy to her face. That's what surprise is to do.

Our son Jonathan had several cases of his guitar gear at the back door last Saturday. He was going to load it Sunday before we came. When I got home Saturday night and saw it there, I went ahead and put it in the car for him.

Didn't hate me five minutes. The next morning when he came down, expecting to have to load it. And saw that it wasn't there.

First thing he did was come to my room

and say, "Thanks, Dad, for loading up my gear." Just a small surprise to brighten his day. A small surprise that let him know his father was thinking about him. That's the way our Heavenly Father is.

He wants to surprise you with his goodness. He wants to do things that make your life easier. Things that let you know he's thinking about you. And we need to be more aware of these surprises. May not be something big.

Just small things in our everyday life. You're at the store about to purchase something. And the clerk says, "This is going to go on sale tomorrow. Let me go ahead and give you the sale price today. That's God's surprising you."

Or that neighbor down the street. That's so contentious. So hard to get along with. You drive by one day and you see a for sale sign in his yard. That's God thinking about you.

Or you learn you're going to get a refund on your income tax. That's not a lucky break. That's not a coincidence. That's God letting you know you're on his mind. He's directing your steps,

orchestrating even the smallest details of your life. The Scripture says in Deuteronomy 28, "If we will keep God first place. If we will walk in his ways, all these blessings will overtake us."

That means you won't be able to outrun the good things of God. One translation of the word overtake means to catch by surprise. Now, won't you to start expecting some surprises? Your heavenly Father wants to be good to you. He wants to help you accomplish your dreams.

Help you overcome your obstacles. God wants to amaze you with his goodness. We should get up every morning with the attitude. I can't wait to see what God's going to do today. I know this older couple that were at the beach.

They were in the water up to their waste or so.

And they looked and looked for a couple of hours there in the water,

hoping, believing. But it just seemed impossible. The waves were rushing forward and backwards. It would have been buried in just a couple minutes of time. The next morning, the lady was at the beach by herself.

Not even thinking about it. Just enjoying the view, kind of letting the water hit up against her legs. And as she was standing there, when the water would go back, the sand was pulled out from under her feet. And she felt something sharp, something poking her.

And of course she thought it was a seashell or a rock. She reached down.

“And would you believe it was her shiny diamond bracelet?”

Think about it. That's like finding a needle in the haystack. But here's the good news. Our God created the haystack. He controls the sea.

He tells every grain of sand where to go. And you may think, how could my dreams ever come to pass? All God has to do is breathe in your direction. It may look impossible. But really, it's no big deal for God to have you at the right place at the right time.

When you live a life of faith, God's blessings are going to overtake you. They're going to catch you by surprise. I have this friend. And he told how he didn't particularly care for his supervisor. Nobody did.

This man was condescending hard to get along with. He'd been a source of frustration year after year. And the supervisor was relatively a young man. Looks like he'd be there for 20 or 30 years. And my friend had a good attitude.

“But he's kind of thinking, boy, he's going to be a pain to put up with.”

The rest of my life. One morning, he went to work. Just minding his own business. Everything seemed to be normal. But the management called an emergency staff meeting.

And told how the man's wife had gotten transferred to another state. He had just resigned and was no longer with the company. Half the staff wanted to fall on their knees and begin to thank God. What was that? God's surprising him.

God making his life easier. God letting him know that he was still in control. Friends, our God is a God of the suddenlies. Suddenly, he can turn your situation around. Suddenly, he can give you the break you need.

You may have had that problem for 10 years.

Looks like it's never going to change.

But in a split second, God totally resolves it. No matter how long it's been, no matter what you're facing, you've got to know God is full of surprises. One touch of his favor, and he can move the wrong people out of your life and move the right people in.

One touch of God's favor, and he can take you from having barely enough to having more than enough. I don't know about you, but I'm expecting God to surprise me. I'm expecting something good to happen. I can't wait to see what blessings are going to overtake me today.

But you say, "Jawla, I don't see how I could ever get well. I don't see how I could ever get out of there. Or how my dreams will ever come to pass." Here's the good news. You don't have to see how.

You don't have to figure it all out. That's not your job. Your job is to believe. Your job is to get up each day in faith. Expecting God's favor.

And even when you don't see away, understand that doesn't mean that there's not a way.

“The fact is, God has a thousand different ways to bring your dreams to pass.”

He has a thousand ways to get you to where he wants you to be. He can give you one idea that will thrust you to a whole new level. He can cause one person to want to help you, that'll change everything. God can even use your enemies to promote you. You may think that obstacle is there to stop you, to weigh you down, to keep you from your dreams.

But instead of it being a stumbling block, God can turn it into a stepping stone to take you to a higher level. God has a way. And sometimes you may feel like you're at the back of the line. You can't get a break, you can't seem to get ahead.

But all God has to do is shift the direction of the wind and all the sudden the last became first. Just a simple surprise, the wind's changed direction. Now God's favor is blowing you away. Had a man tell me how in his business everything was going down.

Didn't look like he was going to make it. But then his main competitor mentioned him on a radio talk show. He even mentioned him in his company in a negative light.

Kind of demeaning really critical toward him.

Look like that would be the final blow that just sealed the business off, but it was just the opposite. When that man talked about him, it drew attention to his company and things started turning around. New client started calling. All kinds of business was stirred up. Today his company is stronger than ever.

He said, this month Joel may be my best month so far.

The wind shifting directions.

“God used his competitor to breathe new life into his business.”

God has all kinds of ways to meet your needs. He can use your critics to bless you. He can take that stumbling block and turn it into a stepping stone. Why don't you start expecting God to surprise you? I know this young lady.

She's a single parent mom and while back she had this medical issue and had to have an emergency surgery. And for some reason it wasn't covered on her insurance.

And a couple of months later when she finally recovered, she got a bill from the hospital for $68,000.

She was so discouraged. In the natural, she didn't have any way to pay that. Here she was trying to raise her children and give them a good life. And on top of that she had been saving to purchase a new home. Now she has happened to use that money to pay the hospital every month.

She was sending them that payment. And at this rate she'd be paying her whole lifetime. She could easily gotten discouraged and thought what's the use. But she didn't fall into that trap.

“Her attitude was, "I may not see away, but I know God has away.”

I know all it takes is one touch of his baby." Well later that year around Christmas, she got a letter from the hospital. Saying every year we choose a few families to help out. And this year we've chosen you.

And this letter is to inform you that we have totally cancelled your $68,000.

If that wasn't good enough, there was a check enclosed for all the payments she had already made. They refunded her all the money she had already given. And you may be here and you're thinking, "I don't see how my situation could ever work out." Joel, I don't see how I could ever get out of debt. Well let me encourage you.

God is full of surprises. He has not run out of ways to meet your needs. As long as you stay in faith, he has promised these blessings are going to overtake you. They're going to chase you down. I want you to get your hopes up.

Stir up those dreams. Don't learn to live with things that are less than God's best.

“It may not have happened in the past, but the good news is it can happen today.”

It can happen this week. This year could be your year. You wake up in the morning. Just learn to say, "Father, I want to thank you for your goodness in my life." Thank you that I want to see your favor in a greater way.

This is what the Psalmist David did. He was called a man after God's own heart. What kind of attitude did he have? How did he get up each morning? He said in Psalm 23, "Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life."

One translation says, "God's kindness chases me everywhere that I go." David lived with this expectancy. He knew God was full of surprises. He didn't go around thinking, "This is going to be a lousy day." Goliath is so stinkin' big.

I'm never going to feed him.

I'm never going to get out of this problem. Now his attitude was something good. He's going to happen to me. Everywhere I go, I know God's blessings are chasing me. Favour is following me around.

No wonder he saw God's goodness. No wonder he overcame his obstacles and accomplished great dreams. He knew good things were chasing after him. Do you know what's chasing you right now? Not deaf, not failure, not mediocrity, not defeat, not lack.

Not at all. You are a child of the most high God. You have been crowned with favor. You have been redeemed from every curse. God has set you apart as his own special treasure.

When you look back in your rear view mirror, you better get ready. You've got a tailgator. There's something coming towards you at a high rate of speed. You know what it is? Blessings.

Favour. Supernatural opportunities. Restoration. Divine connections. God is about to surprise you with his goodness.

Well, as you said, you're just getting everybody's hopes up. I don't believe this is really going to happen for me. Then this is not for you. This is for believers. This is for people that let the sea take through.

This is for people that know God is a good God. And he takes pleasure when we succeed. Just as I loved seeing my children's faces brighten up when I surprise them, God loves bringing a smile to your face. It gives him great joy when he hears you say, "Wow, God, you are awesome.

You amaze me with your goodness." I was talking to a gentleman a few years ago. He'd come into town to have a major operation.

It's a very serious procedure checked into the hospital.

“As he was getting prepped for the surgery,”

Word came to him that his surgeon had a personal emergency and had to leave town and wasn't able to do the operation. Of course, they apologized and they rescheduled him for two weeks later. He was really discouraged and kind of distraught about it all. He not only had to leave town and make another trip here,

but that's just more time to think about those negative thoughts. We prayed together. Of course, I encouraged him to just stay in faith and let's believe that it'll all work out. He came back two weeks later and since the time had passed, he had to go through a whole new set of tests and x-rays and scans

took about three hours. He was scheduled for surgery at 11 that morning. But when 11 rolled around, the nurse told him that the doctor needs a little more time. He's still studying your charge.

Well, 12 o'clock rolled around, then one o'clock, two o'clock,

finally at 2/30 the surgeon came in and said,

"Sir, this is one of the strangest things I've ever seen. We've been studying your x-rays for the last three hours. I sent them to every expert I know, but on this x-ray from two weeks ago, you can see the tumor just as broad as day,

but on these new x-rays from today, it is nowhere to be found." He said, "We have looked at you from every possible angle. Your blood work is fine. All your other tests are normal.

We're not going to have to do an operation. You're a perfectly healthy and free to go." That man was so excited. He was on cloud nine. He told me, "Yo, I know God delayed me for a reason.

That delay was setting him up for a surprise."

When you go through disappointments and things don't work out, don't get down, don't get defeated. You don't know what that's going to lead you to. Well, you said, "Yo, I had a flat tire driving home from service. Some surprised."

Listen, I know a young lady that met her husband on the side of the freeway. He stopped to help her change that flat tire. They fell in love and got married. Stay in faith, you made me your spouse.

You made me the business partner. Who knows what God's going to do? Hey, you said, "Just when I thought I was going to have my best year." I lost my job. I lost my biggest client.

Just when I thought I was going to get promoted.

“You just remember that disappointment is setting you up for a surprise.”

You better get ready. God's about to do something great in your life. Says in 1 Corinthians, "No, I has seen. No ear has heard. No mind has imagined.

The things God has in store for those that love the Lord. Notice God has things stored up for you. What are these things? Blessings. Favor.

Good breaks. Supernatural opportunities. This is saying they are so great. We can't even imagine. You have no idea the place is God's going to take you.

And the great people he's going to bring into your life. You can't imagine the gifts. Talent. The potential he's put on the inside and all the goals that you're going to accomplish. Any dream God puts in your heart.

When he brings it to pass, it's going to be greater than you ever imagined. It's going to be bigger. It's going to be better. It's going to be more rewarding. In other words, God's going to supersize it.

It may be big in your mind, but it's not big to God. You hadn't seen anything yet.

“God's dream for your life is so much bigger, so much better than your own.”

Your dream may be to just get well again, to be able to walk without pain, get around like you used to. That's okay, but God's going to supersize it. His dream is that you're not just be able to walk, but that you be able to run, that you be able to play like you were when you were a child.

His dream is that you're not just be free from pain, but it's that you would be healthier and feel better than you've ever even felt before. That's a God's size dream. Your dream may be to just keep that marriage together. Just hopefully we'll survive.

That's okay, but God's dream is that your marriage would be happier, healthier, more fulfilled than you ever thought possible. Your dream may be to just pay your bills and make it through each month. That's okay, but God's dream is that you have an abundance that you be totally out of debt, that you pay your house off,

you pay your credit cards off, and you have so much overflow that you can be a blessing to everyone around you. Whatever you can dream, if you just supersize it, that's a tiny fraction of what God really wants to do.

He owns a company that builds these large refineries all over the world.

I knew him years ago when he first got started.

His company was made up of one person, just him. He had a small office, no staff, no backing, just a big dream in his heart. He used to tell me, "Yo, one day, I'm going to have an office at one of the downtown high-rises." He was speaking it by faith. A few years later, he not only had an office, he had a whole floor

in one of the largest, most prestigious downtown high-rises. God continued to bless him. About six months ago, he told how he was in the running to build one of the largest refineries in the world. A multi-building dollar contract, not long after that,

he brought me the press release, telling how his company had been awarded that contract. What was that? God's super-sizing his dream. There was a company that he worked with, that he really liked.

They were five times bigger than him.

Had five times the revenue, but God just dropped it in his heart

that they were supposed to purchase that company.

“He told his team, and they said, "What are you talking about?”

They're bigger than us. We can't buy them. They may be able to buy us. He said, "No, no, you don't understand. We have the favor of God." Some of his attorneys are just scratching their heads.

I thought this guy is strange. He believes God can do anything. A couple of weeks ago, I got word that the deal went through. What happened? God supersized him five times bigger than what he was.

What am I saying today? Whatever you can dream, whatever you can imagine, if you'll stay in faith, God will do so much more. What you dream is just a tiny fraction of what God really has planned. I don't know how God's going to do it.

I don't know when he's going to do it. All I know is he's promised he will do it. God has the right people lined up for you, the right opportunities, he has the favor, the wisdom, the finances,

“there to stay in faith and keep expecting God to surprise you.”

Keep expecting him to show up and show up in your life. I was talking to this young man. He's a student from another country. Not long ago, he had a problem with his visa. When he went to enroll in the new school year,

he was told he could not finish because of this problem. He had already done his undergraduate work, and he was working on his masters degree. It looked like his dream had died. He was so discouraged.

He'd called everybody he could think of, done everything he knew, but nothing seemed to help.

He finally decided to go back and check with the school one more time.

This time there was a different person at the admissions office. This lady, they got to talk and they discovered they both come out here to Lakewood. Let me tell you, that's dangerous. When you find somebody from Lakewood,

you might as well get ready, you're going to be blessed. She took all of his documents, all of his files, and she said, "I can understand why you haven't a problem, but she didn't stop there." She kept working and studying and looking at it.

She left the room and came back about 30 minutes later with a big smile on her face. She said, "We found a way to enroll you, and we can give you a letter that will take care of your problem with the visa." That young man was so excited.

God had answered his prayers. But the lady wasn't finished. She said, "I have a fund that I can help oversee students with, and I just got permission to give you a scholarship for your next three years of school."

Now he's going to finish school at no charge. Friends, God likes to outdo himself. He wants to amaze you with his goodness. You may have been told no a thousand times,

“but you need to keep believing, keep hoping,”

and keep asking until you find the right person. When you come across that divine connection, that's when God will surprise you with his favor. About three months ago, I got a letter from this photographer.

Back in the early 1970s, at the height of his career, some of his work was displayed in local art galleries, local museums. He was very good at what he did.

But over the years, he'd gone through disappointments, things had not worked out, he's just about to give up on his dream of photography. He had lost his passion. He's trying to figure out what he's going to do

with the rest of his life, and one morning, he noticed a package sitting on his front doorsteps. He thought that was odd because he had not ordered anything. He saw the return address said, "Hong Kong." That really got his attention.

He opened it up, and on the top there was a letter from this Asian couple. They told how they were big fans of his.

and they had found this old piece of equipment in a small resale shop in Hong Kong,

“and they noticed it had his last name on it.”

They said in our culture, one way to show our respect to people is to return what belongs to them. And so we're giving you this piece of equipment to just show our respect and admiration for you

and for your work. Well, he quickly took it out, and there's a camera lens that he had used back in high school. He had not seen it in over 40 years. All it had to identify him

was his last name stuck on it from one of those little label makers.

And what's interesting is he had never been to Hong Kong.

He didn't know how it got there. He had never met this couple. Had no idea how they got his home address. All he knew was God was saying, "I'm in control.

I've got a plan. Keep that dream alive." Friends, God is full of surprises. He can have someone you've never met.

“Somebody that lives halfway around the world”

to send you a package to encourage you. He can cause you to meet somebody that's going to offer you a scholarship. Somebody that's going to finance your dreams. He can even help you find a bracelet

in the vast ocean. God has all kinds of ways to meet your needs. I'm asking you today to get your hopes up.

Start expecting God to surprise you. Too many people are expecting the worst. Expecting defeat. Expecting more of the same. Don't let that be you.

Get up every morning with the attitude. I can't wait to see what God's going to do today. Remember, as long as you stay in faith, you won't be able to outrun the good things of God. And right now, what's chasing you is blessings.

Favor, supernatural opportunities, divine connections. They're in your rear view mirror headed your way. My advice to you is get ready, get ready, get ready. You may have had some victories in the past but you haven't seen anything yet.

God is about to supersize your dreams. He's about to do more than you can even ask or think. As you stay in faith, he's going to surprise you with his goodness. He's going to amaze you with his blessings. Even I catch you by surprise.

That means you're going to overcome every obstacle. You're going to defeat every enemy. You're going to see every dream. Not only come to pass, but it's going to come to pass greater than you ever even imagine. Amen.

Do you receive it today? 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,

“but the fact is, it sets you up for double.”

God will make the enemy pay and bring you out better than you were before. This ministry is reaching people around the world with a message of hope. And as our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount, we would like to send you a copy of double for your trouble. A daily guide for restoration.

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He sees you. He cares deeply. And he is the God who restores double. None of us like difficulties, but if you'll stay in faith, you won't come out the same.

You'll come out with double. Victoria, not pray for you and your family every day. Thank you for your prayers and support. Your donations are bringing hope to people around the world. Special thank you to our champion of hope partners,

but all you do to make the ministry possible. Until we see you again next week, May the Lord bless you and keep you. Be sure to request your copy of Double for your trouble. Available this month by simply visiting us at jolostene.com

or call 888-567-jol. You can also receive God's Got You Restoration Duo. This book is a powerful reminder that no matter what you face, you are not alone. God's Got You.

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or logging on to jolostene.com today.

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.