>> VICTORIA OSTEEN: THANK
YOU, LORD.
WE ARE EXCITED TO BE IN YOUR
PRESENCE AND IN THE HOUSE OF
THE LORD, AMEN?
HAVE YOU EVER HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED TO YOU,
AND YOU SAID, "NO"?
"NO, I DON'T WANT TO DO
THAT."
"NO, I CAN'T DO THAT."
MAYBE YOU DIDN'T THINK YOU
WERE QUALIFIED OR MAYBE YOU
THOUGHT THERE WAS SOMEONE
ELSE BETTER FOR THE JOB, OR
MAYBE YOU JUST DIDN'T HAVE
THE RESOURCES.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S NUMBERS OF
REASONS THAT WE SAY, "NO,"
WHEN CERTAIN OPPORTUNITIES
PRESENT THEMSELVES, BUT THEN,
HAVE YOU EVER DONE THAT AND
THEN LATER GOT TO THINKING,
"ARGH, WHAT'D I SAY, 'NO'
FOR?
I WISH I'D HAVE DONE THAT.
MAYBE I COULD'VE DONE THAT."
HAVE YOU EVER WRESTLED WITH
THE "NO" BEFORE, THINKING,
"MAYBE I COULD," "OH, MAYBE I
SHOULD"?
YOU SEE, I'LL NEVER FORGET
ONE TIME WHEN JOEL'S FATHER
WAS THE PASTOR OF THE CHURCH,
BACK IN THE OLD BUILDING, AND
WE WERE WORSHIPPING GOD.
IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR
WORSHIP, JUST LIKE WE WERE
DOING TODAY.
MY HANDS WERE UP.
I WAS PRAISING GOD.
WHEN I OPENED MY EYES, JOEL'S
FATHER HAD TURNED AROUND IN
HIS SEAT AND LOOKED AT ME AND
SAID, "VICTORIA, WHY DON'T
YOU GO UP AND DO THE PRAYER
TIME?"
WELL, HE WASN'T TALKING ABOUT
NEXT WEEK OR THE NEXT WEEK.
HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE END
OF THE SONG THAT WAS JUST
ABOUT OVER.
I'M SURE I LOOKED AT HIM
BECAUSE I HAD NEVER EVEN
REMOTELY GIVEN HIM THE
THOUGHT THAT I WANTED TO GET
ON THE PLATFORM AND DO THE
PRAYER TIME.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE HE
GOT THAT, BUT I'LL NEVER
FORGET CHUCKLING,
"HA-HA-HA-HA," WITH A NERVOUS
LAUGH, AND I SAID, "DADDY-O,
I DON'T THINK SO!"
YOU KNOW, IN HIS SWEET,
GENTLE WAY, HE JUST SMILED AT
ME.
HE TURNED AROUND, AND HE
NEVER SAID ANY MORE TO ME
DURING THAT SERVICE.
YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER STANDING
THERE THINKING, "I JUST NEED
TO GET OUT OF HERE!"
BUT WHEN I GOT HOME, I WAS
WRESTLING WITH THAT "NO."
I WAS SO DISAPPOINTED IN
MYSELF, AND REALLY, QUITE
FRANKLY, I WAS MAD AT MYSELF
BECAUSE I THOUGHT TO MYSELF,
"IF HE THOUGHT I COULD DO IT,
WHY DO I THINK THAT I CAN'T
DO IT?
IF SOMEONE HAS FAITH IN ME,
WHY DON'T I HAVE FAITH IN
MYSELF?" AND I WENT BACK,
AND I WENT FORTH, AND I WENT
BACK, AND I WENT FORTH, AND
AS I WAS WRESTLING WITH THAT,
I REALIZED THAT THAT "NO"
JUST WASN'T SATISFACTORY TO
ME, SO I BEGAN TO DIG DEEP
BECAUSE, ON THE INSIDE OF ME,
I REALIZED THERE WAS A "YES,"
BUT IT WAS BURIED UNDER FEAR.
IT WAS BURIED UNDER THE
PRETENSE THAT I COULD NOT DO
IT.
IT WAS BURIED UNDER THE
THOUGHT, "WHY DOES ANYBODY
NEED TO HEAR FROM ME?"
YOU SEE, THAT "NO" WAS NOT
SATISFACTORY TO ME, SO I
BEGAN TO DIG UP MY "YES," AND
I BEGAN TO SAY, "I WANT TO DO
IT.
GOD, HELP ME DO IT.
GOD, I WANT TO GIVE YOU MY
'YES,'" AND THROUGH THAT
STRUGGLE, I HAD TO MAKE
A DECISION.
WAS I JUST GOING TO HAVE ONE
FOOT IN AND ONE FOOT OUT, OR
WAS I GOING TO MAKE A FIRM
DECISION AND SAY, "THE NEXT
TIME HE ASKS ME, IF HE EVER
DOES, I'M GOING TO PREPARE,
AND I'M GOING TO BE READY."
SO EVERY TIME I'D GO TO
CHURCH, I'D BE PRAISING WITH
ONE EYE OPEN, SAYING, "MAYBE
NOT TODAY, LORD," "BUT NOT
TODAY, LORD!"
YOU KNOW, HE DID ASK ME
AGAIN.
HE DID ASK ME AGAIN, AND YOU
KNOW WHAT I DID?
I MUSTERED UP THAT GREAT BIG
"YES," AND I GOT UP, AND I
DID THE PRAYER TIME.
YOU SEE, WHAT THAT "YES" DID
FOR ME, IT KICKED IN GOD'S
GRACE.
IT CAUSED ME TO BEGIN TO RELY
ON GOD.
I PREPARED, BUT THEN I
ALLOWED THE GRACE OF GOD TO
WORK IN ME AND WORK THROUGH
ME.
THERE'S A SCRIPTURE THAT SAYS
THAT GOD IS WORKING IN US TO
WILL AND TO DO HIS GOOD
PLEASURE.
WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT YOU
DON'T HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING
ON YOUR OWN, AND IF IT GETS
DONE, IT'S ONLY BECAUSE OF
YOUR ABILITY, WHEN YOU
REALIZE THAT IS NOT ALWAYS
THE CASE, BUT THAT IT'S GOD
WHO'S WORKING IN YOU, IT'S
GOD WHO'S PREPARING YOU, IF
YOU WILL GET INTO AGREEMENT
WITH GOD, GOD CAN DO AMAZING
THINGS IN OUR LIVES, BUT GOD
NEEDS OUR "YES."
HE NEEDS TO HEAR OUR "YES."
WHEN I THINK ABOUT HOW THAT
"YES" KICKED IN AND GAVE ME
THE POWER TO BE ABLE TO DO
THAT, IT WAS A--VERY MUCH OF
A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR
ME BECAUSE, SEE, I DIDN'T
REALIZE AT THE TIME THAT GOD
WAS UP TO SOMETHING, BUT WHEN
I LOOK BACK, I REALIZE THAT
THAT "YES" WAS ONE STEP
CLOSER TO MY DESTINY.
THAT "YES" WAS ONE STEP
CLOSER TO THE NEXT STEP.
NOW, THE TRUTH IS, I DON'T
KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I EVER
GOT BACK UP ON THE PLATFORM
WHEN DADDY WAS THERE, BUT
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, THAT
EXPERIENCE GAVE ME THE
COURAGE AND THE BOLDNESS WHEN
GOD ASKED ME.
"YES," AGAIN.
LISTEN, IF YOU'RE STRUGGLING
WITH A "YES" TODAY, IF YOU'RE
STRUGGLING BETWEEN "YES" AND
"NO" WHEN GOD TALKS TO YOU,
MAYBE YOU DON'T THINK YOU'RE
EQUIPPED, MAYBE YOU DON'T
HAVE THE RIGHT RESOURCES,
MAYBE THERE'S A PLETHORA OF
REASONS THAT YOU CAN MAKE
EXCUSES.
CAN I TELL YOU, MAKE A
DECISION.
JUST SETTLE IT IN YOUR MIND,
"IF GOD WANTS ME TO DO IT,
I'M GOING TO GIVE HIM MY
'YES,' AND I'M GOING TO
PREPARE AND MOVE FORWARD,"
BECAUSE LET ME TELL YOU
SOMETHING: JUST LIKE MY
FATHER-IN-LAW ASKED ME, AND I
SAID, "NO," HE DIDN'T HOLD
THAT "NO" AGAINST ME, AND
YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS NOT
GOING TO HOLD THAT "NO"
AGAINST YOU.
YOU MAY HAVE SAID, "NO," TIME
AND TIME AGAIN, BUT I CAN
TELL YOU, JUST LIKE MY
FATHER-IN-LAW, GOD'S GOING TO
ASK YOU AGAIN.
HE'S GOING TO ASK YOU AGAIN,
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO MAKE A
DECISION TO GIVE GOD YOUR
"YES."
HOLD ON TO THE PROMISES
OF GOD.
LISTEN TO WHAT IT SAYS IN 2
CORINTHIANS 1:20.
IT SAYS, "FOR NO MATTER HOW
MANY PROMISES GOD HAS MADE,
THEY ARE 'YES' IN CHRIST, AND
SO THROUGH HIM WE SPEAK THE
'AMEN.'"
THROUGH HIM, WHO SPEAKS THE
"AMEN"?
WHO SPEAKS THE "YES"?
WE SPEAK THE "YES."
GOD'S PROMISES ARE GOING TO
STAND FOREVER.
THEY WILL REMAIN, BUT HE IS
LOOKING FOR US TO SAY,
"YES."
HE IS LOOKING FOR US TO TAKE
THAT STEP OF FAITH, TO SAY,
"GOD, I'M ALL IN, NO MATTER
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE."
HEY, WHAT IN THE WORLD DOES
"YES" LOOK LIKE TO YOU TODAY?
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO YOU
TODAY?
WHAT DOES YOUR "YES" LOOK
LIKE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT
GOD?
"YES, GOD, I'M GOING TO
FORGIVE THE PEOPLE THAT HURT
ME."
"YES, GOD, I'M GOING TO TRUST
YOU IN THIS VERY DIFFICULT
TIME, GOD.
I AM ALL IN WITH YOU, GOD,
KNOWING THAT YOU CAN BRING
ABOUT FAVOR IN MY
SITUATION."
"YES, GOD, I'M GOING TO BEGIN
TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE.
EVEN IF I DON'T FEEL LIKE I
HAVE TIME, GOD, I KNOW THAT
YOU CAN MAKE UP THAT TIME FOR
ME."
MAYBE YOU JUST NEED TO
SURRENDER SOME THINGS IN YOUR
LIFE AND SAY, "YES, GOD, IT
IS TIME FOR YOU TO WORK
THROUGH ME.
I'M GOING TO QUIT TRYING TO
DOING IT ON MY OWN, AND, GOD,
I'M JUST GOING TO SAY, "YES,"
TO YOU.
I'M GOING TO TAKE THAT STEP
OF FAITH, GOD, AND LET YOU
OPEN THOSE SUPERNATURAL DOORS
FOR ME."
WHAT DOES YOUR "YES" LOOK
LIKE TODAY?
BECAUSE GOD IS WAITING ON YOU
TO GET INTO AGREEMENT WITH
HIM, AND AS SOON AS YOU SAY,
"YES," TO GOD, GUESS WHAT?
THE GRACE OF GOD KICKS IN.
YOU SEE, YOU'RE NOT ON YOUR
OWN.
GOD DOESN'T WANT YOU TO DO IT
ON YOUR OWN.
GOD WANTS YOU TO DO IT WITH
HIM IN PARTNERSHIP AND
AGREEMENT WITH HIM, AND YOU
KNOW WHAT?
YOU CAN SAY, "YES."
I THINK ABOUT THE SAINTS OF
OLD.
THEY WAVERED IN THEIR "YES."
THEY WAVERED IN THEIR "NO."
ONE DAY, THEY WERE BELIEVERS,
THE NEXT DAY, THEY WERE
DENYING JESUS.
LISTEN, GOD IS NOT GOING TO
HOLD YOUR "NO" AGAINST YOU,
BUT MAKE SOME FIRM DECISIONS
TO SAY, "I AM GOING TO TRUST
GOD IN THIS NO MATTER WHAT IT
LOOKS LIKE," "NO MATTER HOW
SCARED I AM, NO MATTER HOW
BURIED THAT 'YES' IS IN MY
SPIRIT, I'M GOING TO DIG IT
UP, I'M GOING TO WORK IT
OUT," BECAUSE THE BIBLE TALKS
ABOUT THIS.
IT SAYS YOU HAVE TO HOLD FAST
YOUR PROFESSION OF FAITH.
YOU HAVE TO HOLD FAST THAT
"YES."
SEE, THAT INDICATES THAT
SOMETHING IS GOING TO TRY TO
TAKE THAT "YES" FROM YOU, AND
WE'RE VERY WELL AWARE THAT
TIME TRIES TO STEAL OUR
"YES," PEOPLE TRY TO STEAL
OUR "YES," ALL THESE "NOS"
AND SHUT DOORS TRY TO STEAL
OUR "YES," BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO STEP
OVER A LOT OF "NOS" AND HOLD
FAST TO THAT "YES."
HOLD IT TIGHT.
SEE, IT'S NOT JUST IN YOUR
ABILITY.
IT'S IN GOD'S ABILITY THROUGH
YOU.
IT'S IN HIM, OPENING
SUPERNATURAL DOORS.
CAN I TELL YOU, IS IT GOING
TO BE EASY?
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
IS IT WORTH IT?
ABSOLUTELY, IT IS.
GOD IS A GOD OF MIRACLES, AND
HE WANTS TO TAKE YOU STEP BY
STEP, BUT HE NEEDS YOUR
"AMEN."
HE NEEDS YOUR AGREEMENT.
THINK ABOUT NOAH.
WHEN GOD CAME TO NOAH AND
SPOKE TO NOAH AND SAID,
"NOAH, I WANT YOU TO BUILD AN
ARK."
NOAH HAD NO IDEA, FIRST OFF,
WHAT A BOAT WAS, WHAT AN ARK
WAS, BECAUSE NO ONE HAD SEEN
RAIN.
IT HAD LITERALLY NEVER
RAINED, THE THEOLOGIANS SAID,
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT NOAH DID?
HE SAID, "YES, GOD."
SO HE WAS FIGHTING THE ODDS
BECAUSE NO ONE HAD EVER SEEN
RAIN, AND NO ONE WANTED TO
GET INTO AGREEMENT WITH HIS
"YES," BUT HE SAID, "I'M
GOING TO STAY IN AGREEMENT
WITH GOD'S 'YES,'"
AND HE KEPT BUILDING THAT
ARK.
IT TOOK YEARS AND YEARS.
PEOPLE MADE FUN OF HIM.
THEY EVEN SAID, "NOAH IS
CRAZY!
HE AND HIS FAMILY ARE CRAZY
PEOPLE!"
BUT WHAT DID NOAH KEEP DOING?
HE KEPT POUNDING THE NAILS.
HE KEPT SAYING, "YES," IN HIS
OBEDIENCE TO GOD, AND LET ME
TELL YOU SOMETHING, NOAH'S
ARK STANDS AS A MONUMENT
TODAY, A SIGN OF GOD'S
GOODNESS, A SIGN OF GOD'S
AGREEMENT.
YOU SEE, WE ARE IN COVENANT
WITH THIS GREAT GOD, AND HE
WANTS YOUR "YES."
I HAVE A FRIEND OF MINE WHO
HAS A LARGE FAMILY, MANY
SIBLINGS, AND SHE MADE A
DECISION TO SAY, "YES," TO
GOD IN A NEW WAY, AND WHAT I
MEAN BY THAT IS SHE WAS GOING
TO LET GO OF SOME OF HER PAST
HABITS, AND SHE WAS GOING TO
START SERVING GOD IN A FRESH,
NEW WAY BECAUSE HE HAD GIVEN
HER AN IMPRESSION TO DO IT
DIFFERENTLY.
WELL, LET ME TELL YOU
SOMETHING, HER FAMILY DIDN'T
THINK THAT WAS SO KEEN.
IN FACT, THEY MADE UGLY
REMARKS TO HER.
THEY LITERALLY QUIT INVITING
HER TO CERTAIN GATHERINGS
BECAUSE, "SHE HAD A NEW
COMMITMENT TO GOD," BUT CAN I
TELL YOU, SHE STAYED FAITHFUL
TO HER COMMITMENT.
SHE HELD ON TIGHT TO THAT
"YES" EVEN WHEN SHE WASN'T
INVITED TO THINGS, SHE
CONTINUED TO BE KIND TO HER
FAMILY, SHOW LOVE, AND WHEN
THEY DID INVITE HER, SHE
SHOWED UP WITH ALL OF HER
BLESSINGS TO THEM.
CAN I TELL YOU TODAY, AFTER
YEARS AND YEARS OF HOLDING ON
TO THAT "YES," STAYING
COMMITTED, MAKING THAT
DECISION EVEN WHEN IT WAS
TOUGH, EVEN WHEN IT WOULD'VE
BEEN EASIER TO GO BACK, HER
"YES" STANDS AS AN ANCHOR OF
HOPE TO HER FAMILY, AND MANY
OF THEM HAVE COME BACK TO
JESUS CHRIST BECAUSE OF THAT
"YES."
IS OUR "YES" ALWAYS EASY?
NO, BUT OUR "YES" IS ALWAYS
WORTH IT WHEN WE SERVE A
MIGHTY GOD.
GET UP EVERY DAY.
RECONFIRM YOUR "YES."
"YES, GOD, I AM YOURS."
"YES, GOD, WHAT DO YOU WANT
ME TO DO TODAY?"
"YES, GOD, I WILL TRUST YOU.
I WILL FORGIVE.
I WILL TAKE THAT STEP OF
FAITH."
"GOD, I BELIEVE THAT WHEN I
GET INTO AGREEMENT WITH YOU,
YOU'RE GOING TO DO WHAT I
CAN'T DO.
YOU'RE GOING TO DO THE
IMPOSSIBLE," AMEN?
AMEN, THANK YOU,
LORD, WE PRAISE YOU.
> JOEL: THANKS FOR
WATCHING THIS
MESSAGE. I HOPE
YOU ENJOYED IT.
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> VICTORIA: LET US
KNOW IN THE
COMMENTS BELOW HOW
THIS MESSAGE HAS
ENCOURAGED YOU.
WE WOULD LOVE TO
HEAR FROM YOU.
WE'RE PRAYING FOR
YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
WE'LL SEE YOU
NEXT TIME!