>> VICTORIA: YOU GUYS SOUND
GOOD AS USUAL.
I BELIEVE THAT GOD WANTS
EVERY ONE OF US
TO BE A SUPERHERO.
SEE, GOD WANTS US TO BE
FEARLESS AND COURAGEOUS.
HE WANTS US TO BE LIKE THE
ONES YOU SEE IN THE MOVIES.
YOU KNOW HOW THEY ARE.
'BOUT LIKE THE TIME THE ENEMY
GETS A HOLD OF 'EM, THEY FALL
DOWN, HE'S GOT THEM IN THE
GRIDLOCK, THAT SUPERHERO
TURNS AROUND AND SWIRLS
AROUND, AND BEFORE YOU KNOW
IT, HE'S DEFEATING THE ENEMY,
OR HE COMES OUT OF NOWHERE,
YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT
HAPPENED TO HIM, AND HE COMES
OUT OF NOWHERE AND SHOWS UP
STRONG ON THE SCENE.
YOU SEE, HE MAY FALL, BUT HE
SHOWS UP STRONG, AND I
BELIEVE THAT GOD WANTS US TO
SHOW UP STRONG.
HE WANTS US TO SHOW UP STRONG
NOT ONLY FOR OURSELVES, BUT
FOR OTHER PEOPLE.
HE WANTS US TO BE A
SUPERHERO, AND AS WE WERE
SINGING TOGETHER, THAT'S HOW
WE'RE GOING TO BECOME THIS
SUPERHERO POWERHOUSE FOR
ALMIGHTY GOD.
IT'S ONLY GOING TO COME WHEN
WE DO IT TOGETHER.
YOU SEE, WE'RE NOT ISLANDS
AMONG OURSELVES.
WE WERE NOT INTENDED TO BE
ALONE.
WHEN GOD CREATED MAN, HE
SAID, "YOU NEED A HELPMATE.
YOU NEED SOMEONE WHO'S GOING
TO LINK ARMS WITH YOU.
YOU NEED SOMEONE THAT CAN
HELP YOU MOVE FORWARD,
PERPETUATE MY KINGDOM."
YOU SEE, WE WERE NEVER
DESIGNED TO BE ALONE.
THE SCRIPTURE SAYS "THAT TWO
ARE BETTER THAN ONE," BECAUSE
WHEN ONE FALLS, THE OTHER'S
THERE TO PICK HIM UP.
YOU SEE, WE ARE GOING TO
DEFEAT THE ENEMY.
WE ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD
WHEN WE'RE LINKED ARMS DOING
IT TOGETHER.
IN HEBREWS 3:13, LISTEN TO
WHAT IT SAYS.
IT SAYS, "TO ENCOURAGE ONE
ANOTHER DAILY."
NOW, THAT SOUNDS GREAT.
DOESN'T IT?
"BOY, YOU LOOK GOOD TODAY."
"OH, I LIKE THAT PRESENTATION
AT WORK."
"WELL, YOU'RE SO PRETTY."
WE SHOULD DO THAT, SHOULDN'T
WE?
WE SHOULD ENCOURAGE EACH
OTHER DAILY.
THAT'S WHAT GOD SAYS,
"ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER
DAILY."
YOU KNOW, GOD FORMED US IN
OUR MOTHER'S WOMB.
HE MADE US AND HE KNOWS HOW
WE OPERATE.
YOU SEE, WE HAVE INSTRUCTIONS
ON HOW TO OPERATE TO OUR
HIGHEST POTENTIAL AND
PERFORMANCE, AND WE CAN FIND
THEM IN THE WORD OF GOD.
SO HE SAYS, "ENCOURAGE EACH
OTHER DAILY."
NOW, LISTEN TO THE REST OF
THAT VERSE, BECAUSE THIS IS
THE WEIGHTY AND MEATY PART OF
THE VERSE.
YOU SEE, IF YOU JUST
ENCOURAGE, THAT'S GREAT.
YOU'LL DO IT IF YOU WANT TO.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT, "MAYBE, I
SHOULD GO OVER AND SEE MY
GRANDMOTHER TODAY, BUT I
REALLY DON'T HAVE TIME.
I'VE GOT A LOT OF THINGS TO
DO."
WE DON'T TAKE ENCOURAGEMENT
AS SERIOUSLY.
BUT LISTEN TO THIS PART, THIS
IS WHAT GOD WAS SAYING WOULD
HAPPEN WHEN WE STAND
TOGETHER, LINK ARMS AND
ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER DAILY.
IT SAID, "TO ENCOURAGE EACH
OTHER DAILY SO THE
DECEITFULNESS OF SIN DOESN'T
HARDEN OUR HEARTS."
THERE'S A WEIGHTY PROMISE
RIGHT THERE.
WHEN WE STAND TOGETHER, GUESS
WHAT?
WE STAND OPPOSING THE ENEMY'S
DECEIT.
HE WANTS TO DECEIVE US.
HE WANTS US ISOLATED.
HE DOESN'T WANT US TO HAVE
THE SUPPORT THAT WE WERE
DESIGNED TO HAVE.
SEE, GOD SAYS, "IF YOU WILL
ENCOURAGE, YOU WILL BE
ENCOURAGED.
IF YOU WILL ENCOURAGE, YOU
CAN STAND AGAINST THE ENEMY
FOR SOMEONE ELSE."
SEE, SOMETIMES, WHEN YOU NEED
ENCOURAGEMENT, IT'S HARD TO
STAND AGAINST THE ENEMY.
WHEN YOU'RE DISCOURAGED, IT'S
HARD TO STAND AGAINST THE
ENEMY.
I'VE SEEN PEOPLE GET SO
DISCOURAGED, SO DOWN, SO
DEFEATED, THEY COULDN'T EVEN
THINK STRAIGHT.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE
DISCOURAGED AND DOWN AND
DEFEATED, THAT IS THE TIME
THAT THE ENEMY WANTS TO COME
IN AND HAVE A HAY DAY
IN YOUR MIND.
HE WANTS TO TELL YOU THAT
YOU'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH, THAT
YOU CAN'T DO IT, THAT YOU'LL
NEVER GET WELL.
YOU GUYS WILL QUIT TRYING.
YOU SEE, WHEN YOU'RE DOWN AND
DISCOURAGED, THAT'S WHEN THE
ENEMY CAN COME IN, BUT WHEN
YOU HAVE PEOPLE AROUND YOU
THAT ARE WILLING TO TAKE THIS
SCRIPT SERIOUSLY AND SAY,
"I'M NOT GOING TO LET THEM
GET DOWN BECAUSE I HAVE THE
POWER TO STAND AGAINST THE
ENEMY FOR THEM."
YOU SEE, ISN'T IT INTERESTING
THAT GOD SAID, "OUR
ENCOURAGEMENT, OUR
ENCOURAGEMENT CAN STAND
AGAINST THE ENEMY."
CHRISTIAN COVINGTON WAS HERE
EARLIER IN THE 8:30 SERVICE.
I LOOKED OVER AT HIM AND HE'S
HUGE.
HE PLAYS FOR THE TEXANS.
DO Y'ALL KNOW CHRISTIAN
COVINGTON?
ALL RIGHT, WELL, HE'S HUGE,
AND I THOUGHT, "WELL, THAT'S
WHAT WE LOOK LIKE ON THE
INSIDE."
I WAS THINKING ABOUT HOW WHEN
CHRISTIAN COVINGTON AND HIS
TEAM, THEY PLAY ON THE
DEFENSE.
DON'T ASK ME POSITIONS.
I JUST KNOW THEY PLAY ON THE
DEFENSE.
I ALSO KNOW THAT THE
DEFENSIVE LINE IS THERE TO
STAND TOGETHER SO THAT THE
OTHER TEAM, THE OPPONENT,
CANNOT SCORE ON THEIR TEAM.
I DO KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT
FOOTBALL.
YOU WOULD BE PROUD OF ME.
BUT THE WAY THEY DO IT IS
THEY STAND TOGETHER.
THEY KNOW EACH OTHER IS RIGHT
THERE, AND THEY'RE NOT GOING
TO LET THEIR OPPONENT SCORE.
DO YOU KNOW WHEN WE STAND
TOGETHER, LOCKED ARMS, WE
DON'T LET THE ENEMY SCORE ON
EACH OTHER.
HE CANNOT SCORE.
SEE, ENCOURAGEMENT MEANS TO
IMPART COURAGE.
IT MEANS TO MAKE FEARLESS,
MAKE BRAVE, IMPART COURAGE.
THAT'S WHAT GOD IS SAYING.
IMPART COURAGE TO ONE
ANOTHER, BECAUSE SEE, THE
ENEMY WANTS TO DISCOURAGE.
HE WANTS TO TAKE OUR COURAGE.
HE WANTS TO SUBTRACT FROM
WHAT GOD IS DOING IN OUR
LIFE.
SEE, WE HAVE TO STAND
TOGETHER.
WE HAVE TO BE SUPERHEROES.
WHEN I LOOK AT HEBREWS 3:13
IN THIS LIGHT, I FEEL LIKE
WONDER WOMAN.
I THINK, "YOU KNOW WHAT?
EVERY TIME I ENCOURAGE
SOMEBODY, I AM SLASHING AT
THE ENEMY.
I AM KICKING HIM.
I'M DEFEATING HIM.
I'M PUSHING HIM BACK."
YOU EVER SEE WONDER WOMAN?
YOU CAN BE CLARK KENT, IF
YOU'RE A GUY.
STEP IN THE PHONE BOOTH AND
COME OUT SUPERMAN.
BUT THAT'S THE TRUTH, I
REALLY BELIEVE THAT.
I BELIEVE IF WE UNDERSTAND
THE POWER OF ENCOURAGEMENT,
WE'RE GOING TO BE EMPOWERED
TO ENCOURAGE.
LISTEN, ENCOURAGE YOUR
FAMILY, ENCOURAGE YOUR
CHILDREN, ENCOURAGE THAT
CO-WORKER, ENCOURAGE YOUR
BOSS.
HEY, ENCOURAGEMENT DOESN'T
MEAN THEY'RE BEING--YOU
ENCOURAGE THEM BECAUSE
THEY'RE BEING NICE TO YOU.
YOU ENCOURAGE THEM BECAUSE
GOD IS IMPRESSING ON YOU,
THAT IF YOU'LL DO THAT, YOU
CAN STAND ON THAT DEFENSIVE
LINE, AND I REALLY BELIEVE,
WHEN HE SAYS, "ENCOURAGE ONE
ANOTHER DAILY, THAT THAT
MEANS THERE'S A GREAT
EXCHANGE THAT TAKES PLACE.
SEE, IF EVERY ONE OF US WOULD
ENCOURAGE SOMEONE DAILY, WHAT
WOULD THIS WORLD LOOK LIKE?
HOW STRONG WOULD WE REALLY
BE?
SEE, WE CAN THINK A LOT OF
THINGS, WE CAN THINK A LOT OF
ENCOURAGEMENT, WE CAN THINK
ABOUT DOING A LOT OF THINGS,
BUT IT'S NOT UNTIL WE STAND
STRONG AND TAKE ACTION AND
BEGIN TO IMPART COURAGE TO
EACH OTHER, THAT THINGS WILL
CHANGE.
YOU SEE, YOU CAN'T DO
ANYTHING ABOUT SOMEONE'S
SITUATION.
WAS TALKING TO A STAFF MEMBER
THE OTHER DAY.
HURRICANE HARVEY, 5 FEET OF
WATER IN HER HOME; CAME
RUSHING IN.
HER FAMILY HAD TO LEAVE; HER
FAMILY, HER CHILDREN.
THEY HAD TO LEAVE
IMMEDIATELY.
SHE LEFT WITH NOTHING.
WHEN THEY GOT THEMSELVES
SETTLED INTO A PLACE OF DRY
GROUND AND THE REALITY
STARTED SETTLING IN THAT THEY
HAD JUST LOST ALL THEIR
MATERIAL POSSESSIONS IN THEIR
HOME, EVERYTHING, SHE WAS
DEVASTATED.
SHE SAID, "I WAS SO
DISCOURAGED.
I WAS SO OVERWHELMED.
I FELT NUMB AND I COULDN'T
EVEN MOVE.
MY HUSBAND, BEING THE HEAD OF
THE HOUSE COULDN'T BELIEVE
THAT HE HAD JUST LOST
EVERYTHING, AND HOW WAS HE
GOING TO REBUILD HIS FAMILY'S
LIFE?"
HE LOOKED AT HER AND HE SAID,
"WE GOT TO GET OUT OF THIS
STATE.
WE HAVE GOT TO GET OUT OF
THIS SITUATION IN OUR MIND,
THIS ATMOSPHERE OF DEFEAT.
LET'S GO TO THE CHURCH AND
HELP OUT."
WE WERE, PEOPLE VOLUNTEERS
ALL OVER THE PLACE,
DISTRIBUTING, DOING WHAT THEY
COULD DO.
SHE SAID, "I SIMPLY SAT THERE
THINKING, 'I CAN'T.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO
THINK.
I HAVE NO MAKEUP.
I HAVE NOT EVEN A HAIR TIE TO
TIE MY HAIR BACK WITH.
I DON'T WANT TO GO.'"
THEN SHE BEGAN TO PUT A SMILE
ON HER FACE AND SAID, "ABOUT
THAT TIME, A FRIEND OF MINE
SHOWED UP, SHOWED UP WITH A
BAG FULL OF MAKEUP."
SHE SAID, "NOT ONLY DID GOD
TELL HER THE COLOR FOUNDATION
THAT I WORE, SHE BROUGHT ALL
THE EXTRAS: THE MASCARA, THE
BLUSH AND THE LIP GLOSS."
SEE, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT
ONLY A WOMAN CAN APPRECIATE.
YOU SEE, HER FRIEND THAT DAY
WAS STANDING IN THE DEFENSIVE
LINE FOR HER.
SEE, HER FRIEND THAT DAY
ALLOWED GOD TO BREATHE LIFE
BACK INTO HER SOUL.
SHE WAS DISCOURAGED, SHE WAS
OVERWHELMED, BUT THAT FRIEND
USED THE POWER OF
ENCOURAGEMENT TO GET HER ONE
STEP CLOSER TO HER VICTORY,
ONE STEP CLOSER TO HER
VICTORY.
SHE SAID SHE PUT THAT MAKEUP
ON, WENT TO HER HUSBAND AND
SAID, "I'M READY THAN EVER TO
GO.
I'M AS READY AS I'LL EVER
BE."
AND WENT TO CHURCH AND BEGAN
TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE.
I SAW HER YESTERDAY.
IF YOU LOOKED AT HER, YOU
WOULDN'T KNOW THAT WHAT SHE
HAD BEEN THROUGH.
YOU WOULDN'T KNOW THAT SHE
WAS FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT
OF FAITH, BECAUSE SHE SAID,
"EVERYDAY GOD'S HAD SOMEONE
SHOW UP TO BRING ME COURAGE
AND ENCOURAGE MY HEART."
YOU SEE, THE ENEMY WANTED TO
DEFEAT HER.
HE WANTED TO GET HER
THINKING, GOING IN THE WRONG
DIRECTION.
BECAUSE SEE, IF HE CAN
GET YOUR THINKING GOING
IN THE WRONG DIRECTION,
HE CAN GET YOUR LIFE
GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION,
AND THAT'S WHAT
DISCOURAGEMENT DOES.
IT GETS YOUR LIFE GOING IN
THE WRONG DIRECTION.
HEY, AS FAR AS IT'S UP TO US,
WE CAN'T LET THOSE AROUND US
SEE DISCOURAGEMENT OR BE
DISCOURAGED, 'CAUSE WE'RE THE
CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD.
WE ARE THE SUPERHEROES FOR
GOD ALMIGHTY.
YOU SEE, WE COULD NOT DO A
THING ABOUT HER 5 FOOT OF
WATER IN HER HOME, RIGHT?
I MEAN, WE COULDN'T CHANGE
THAT SITUATION.
I HEARD IT SAID LIKE THIS,
"IT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENS TO
YOU, IT'S WHAT HAPPENS IN
YOU, THAT MAKES THE
DIFFERENCE," AND BECAUSE SHE
HAD A FRIEND THAT DAY
ENCOURAGE HER AND IMPART
COURAGE, THE THING THAT THE
ENEMY WANTED TO DO, DID NOT
HAPPEN IN HER.
IT DIDN'T HAPPEN IN HER.
YOU SEE, HER FRIEND GAVE HER
THAT COURAGE TO KEEP HER
HEART SOFT, TO BELIEVE THAT
GOD HAD POSSIBILITIES, THAT
IT COULD BE BETTER THAN EVER,
THAT SHE COULD GET UP AGAIN
AND MOVE FORWARD.
THAT'S WHAT ENCOURAGEMENT
DOES TO US.
THE ISRAELITES IN EXODUS 6,
IT SAYS, "THEY WERE TOO
DISCOURAGED TO BELIEVE.
THEY COULDN'T EVEN HEAR THE
WORDS OF MOSES."
WHEN GOD WAS TRYING TO TELL
THEM WHAT HE WANTED TO DO FOR
THEM, BECAUSE THEY WERE SO
DEEP AND BURIED UNDER
DISCOURAGEMENT, THEY COULD
NOT EVEN HEAR ABOUT THE GOD
OF THE IMPOSSIBLE.
DON'T ALLOW ANYONE AROUND YOU
TO BE DISCOURAGED, BECAUSE WE
ARE HERE TO TELL PEOPLE ABOUT
THE GOD OF THE POSSIBLE.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO LOSE HOPE,
BECAUSE WE SERVE THE GOD THAT
CAN DO ANYTHING.
IF WE WILL STAY ENCOURAGED
AND CONTINUE TO IMPART
COURAGE, I TRULY BELIEVE THAT
THAT EXCHANGE WORKS TWO WAYS,
WE WILL ALSO BE ENCOURAGED.
WHEN YOU ENCOURAGE, YOU'LL BE
ENCOURAGED.
WHEN YOU'RE ENCOURAGED,
YOU'LL BE STRENGTHENED TO
ENCOURAGE YOURSELF.
DO YOU KNOW THERE'S STUDIES
THAT SAY, "WHEN YOU ENCOURAGE
PEOPLE, WHEN YOU HELP
SOMEONE, THAT IT IS AN
EMOTIONAL HIGH THAT LITERALLY
RELEASES DOPAMINE IN YOUR
BRAIN AND MAKES YOU HAPPY."
YOU SEE, IT EMPOWERS YOU, AND
WHEN YOU'RE EMPOWERED WITH
THIS EMOTION OF HAPPINESS,
THEN YOU CAN GO AND HELP
OTHER PEOPLE.
WHEN YOU'RE EMPOWERED WITH
EMOTION OF HAPPINESS, YOU CAN
HELP YOURSELF, 'CAUSE SEE I
TRULY BELIEVE THERE WILL BE
DAYS THAT WE HAVE TO
ENCOURAGE OUR SELF JUST LIKE
DAVID, BUT GOD WANTS US TO
GET GOOD AT ENCOURAGING
OTHERS AND ENCOURAGING
OURSELVES, BECAUSE THOSE DAYS
THAT WE CAN'T, HE'LL PROVIDE,
JUST LIKE MY FRIEND.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES,
ENCOURAGEMENT IS JUST SIMPLY
SHOWING UP WITH A BROOM AND A
MOP OR A BAG OF MAKEUP.
YOU SEE, WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE
NOT ONLY WITH OUR WORDS, BUT
WITH OUR ACTIONS.
ASK GOD, "GIVE ME SOMEBODY
EVERY DAY, GOD, THAT I CAN
HAVE A EXCHANGE WITH, THAT I
CAN ENCOURAGE IN A MEANINGFUL
AND PROFOUND WAY."
IF WE WILL ALL ASK GOD TO
GIVE US THAT ONE PERSON, PUT
THAT ONE PERSON ON OUR HEART,
WHETHER IT'S YOUR CHILD, YOUR
HUSBAND, YOUR FRIEND, YOUR
CO-WORKER, YOUR BOSS, I
BELIEVE THAT GOD WILL DO
THINGS IN OUR LIFE THAT WE
CAN'T EVEN ASK, THINK OR
IMAGINE, AMEN?
LET'S PUSH BACK DARKNESS WITH
OUR ENCOURAGEMENT.
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.