>> VICTORIA OSTEEN: THANK
YOU, LORD.
WE BLESS YOU IN THIS PLACE.
SO, THE OTHER DAY, JOEL AND
I, WE NEEDED TO GET OUT A
LITTLE BIT.
IT WAS IN THE EVENING AND A
LOT OF TIMES WE'LL GO RIDE
BIKES AND GET A LITTLE
EXERCISE, SO WE THOUGHT,
"WELL, LET'S JUST GET ON OUR
BIKES AND LET'S GO OUT AND
SEE HOW FAR WE CAN GO."
WE USUALLY HAVE A CERTAIN
PATH THAT WE TAKE, SO WE
HEADED OUT IN THAT DIRECTION,
AND WE GET TO THIS ONE
INTERSECTION AND IT'S A
LARGE, FOUR-WAY INTERSECTION
WITH LIGHTS GOVERNING THE
CARS.
BUT WHEN WE GOT TO THIS MAIN
INTERSECTION, WE SAW THAT
THERE WAS ABOUT SIX POLICEMEN
OUT THERE OVERRIDING THE
LIGHTS.
THEY WERE ACTUALLY MOVING THE
CARS THROUGH THE
INTERSECTION, LETTING THE
PEOPLE GO SAFELY THROUGH THE
INTERSECTION, AND AS WE WERE
WAITING OUR TURN, I WAS
LOOKING FROM A DISTANCE AND I
WAS NOTICING THOSE OFFICERS,
AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF,
ISN'T IT INTERESTING THAT
THEY CAN BE FAR APART,
THEY'RE MOVING THE CARS
THROUGH, BUT THEY'RE WORKING
IN SUCH UNITY TOGETHER?
AND THEY'VE GOT THIS
COMMUNICATION AS THEY'RE
WORKING TOGETHER, AND I COULD
SEE THAT THEIR MAJOR GOAL WAS
THIS, TO MOVE THE PEOPLE
THROUGH SAFELY SO THE TRAFFIC
WILL FLOW AND TO KEEP
EVERYONE AT PEACE.
NOW, YOU KNOW THROUGH THIS
FLOODING, WE'VE HAD DETOURS
ALL OVER THE CITY AND THE
TRAFFIC IS HORRIBLE.
SO, THESE GUYS WERE LITERALLY
MOVING THIS TRAFFIC THROUGH,
KEEPING PEACE.
ROAD RAGE, NO, NO ROAD RAGE
AT THAT INTERSECTION.
NOBODY WAS TELLING ANYONE HOW
THEY FELT WITH HAND SIGNS
BECAUSE THOSE OFFICERS WERE
DOING SUCH A GOOD JOB.
SO, I STOOD THERE AMAZED AND
I REALIZED THE STRENGTH IN
THAT WHOLE PROCESS WAS UNITY,
COMMUNICATION, WORKING
TOGETHER.
THAT'S WHY THE TRAFFIC WAS
FLOWING, AND THE PEOPLE WERE
SAFE, AND IT WAS A PEACEFUL
SITUATION.
YOU SEE, WE, THE CHURCH OF
THE LIVING GOD, SHOULD HAVE
THE SAME GOAL TO WORK IN
UNITY WITH ONE ANOTHER, TO BE
UNDER THE SAME BOND OF PEACE.
YOU SEE, OUR MAIN GOAL SHOULD
BE TO MOVE PEOPLE SAFELY INTO
THE ARMS OF JESUS.
YOU SEE, THE TRAFFIC WAS A
DIFFICULT SITUATION, BUT
BECAUSE THEY HAD THE ABILITY
TO UNITE TOGETHER, THAT
DIFFICULT SITUATION WAS MADE
EASIER.
CAN YOU IMAGINE IF ONE OF
THOSE OFFICERS SAID, "YOU
KNOW, I WANT MY--THIS CAR TO
GO THROUGH.
NO, I DON'T WANT TO WAIT MY
TURN.
I LIKE THIS GREEN CAR.
I WANT IT TO GO THROUGH."
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE
OTHER ONE WAS GOING, "WELL,
NO, I WANT MINE TO GO
THROUGH"?
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
THEY DID IT, THEY PUT
THEMSELVES ASIDE AND THEY
STOOD IN UNITY.
YOU SEE, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE
TO DO AS A CHURCH.
IF WE'RE GOING TO RISE UP TO
THE LEVELS THAT GOD IS
CALLING US TO, WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE TO PUT OUR SELFISHNESS,
OUR PRIDE, OUR OWN AGENDAS
ASIDE AND SAY, "WE'RE GOING
TO COME TOGETHER IN UNITY
UNDER THE BLOOD OF JESUS
CHRIST THROUGH THE BOND OF
PEACE."
WHEN GOD WAS TAKING THE
CHILDREN OF ISRAEL OUT OF
EGYPT, THE NIGHT THAT HE WAS
GETTING THEM PREPARED, THE
PASSOVER, HE INSTRUCTED THEM
TO TAKE A SACRIFICIAL LAMB,
AND HE INSTRUCTED THEM TO
SACRIFICE THAT LAMB, AND TO
TAKE THAT BLOOD AND TO PUT IT
OVER THEIR DOORPOST.
EACH FAMILY TOOK THE BLOOD OF
THE LAMB AND PUT IT OVER
THEIR DOORPOST.
HE INSTRUCTED THEM TO PREPARE
THEMSELVES BECAUSE IN THE
MORNING, THEY WERE LEAVING
EGYPT.
IT WAS GOING TO BE A MASS
EXODUS OUT OF THE PHARAOH'S
HAND AND HIS ARMY.
THIS WAS IT.
THIS WAS IT, THE POWER OF THE
ENEMY WAS GOING TO BE BROKEN.
BUT CAN I TELL YOU ONE THING?
YOU KNOW WHAT THEY WERE--WHAT
THEIR COMMON BOND WAS?
YOU KNOW WHY THEY ABLE TO
ESCAPE THE POWER OF THE
ENEMY, THE THING THAT BROUGHT
THEM TOGETHER, THE SAMENESS,
THE ONENESS?
IT WAS THE BLOOD.
IT WAS THE BLOOD OVER THE
DOORPOST THAT DISTINGUISHED
THEM AS THE ARMY OF GOD, AS
GOD'S GREAT PEOPLE AND
ALLOWED THEM TO MOVE OUT OF
EGYPT.
IT WAS THE BLOOD THAT PARTED
THE RED SEA.
IT WAS THE POWER OF ONENESS
IN THEIR LIFE.
YOU'VE SEEN CHARLTON HESTON
SPLIT THE RED SEAS.
YOU'VE SEEN THE MOVIES.
THINK ABOUT IT, IT WAS
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE BOUND
TOGETHER, MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
WITH DIFFERENT OPINIONS,
DIFFERENT LIKES AND DISLIKES,
DIFFERENT HABITS, BUT THEY
WERE BOUND WITH THAT ONE
LIKENESS, THAT ONENESS, AND
IT WAS THE OBEDIENCE TO THE
BLOOD.
WE, THE CHURCH, HAVE THE
BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST, AND IF
WE WILL STAND TOGETHER IN
THAT ONENESS OF CHRIST, GOD
WILL CONTINUE TO PART RED
SEAS FOR US.
HE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD
CITIES, RESTORE FAMILIES,
BRING IN THE LOST.
HE WILL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT
HE DOES BEST, REDEEM THE LIFE
OF MANKIND.
YOU SEE, THE BIBLE SAYS IN
PSALM 133, IT SAYS, "WHEN
THERE IS UNITY, THERE IS A
COMMANDED BLESSING."
GOD HAS ALREADY COMMANDED THE
BLESSING UNDER THE BLOOD.
WE NEED THE COMMANDED
BLESSING IF WE'RE GOING TO
MAKE IT THROUGH THESE
DIFFICULT TIMES.
WE NEED TO STAND UNDER THAT
COMMANDED BLESSING.
WE NEED TO NOT FIGHT WITH
EACH OTHER ABOUT FAITH.
WE NEED TO FAITH TOGETHER FOR
OUR FAITH AND FOR THE BLOOD,
FOR THE BLOOD.
YOU SEE, GOD IS A FAITHFUL
GOD.
WE MUST STAND TOGETHER IN THE
SPIRIT.
LET YOUR DIFFERENCES GO.
THAT'S NOT WHAT'S GOING TO
SAVE US.
THAT'S NOT WHAT'S GOING TO
BRING PEOPLE TO THE ARMS AND
SAVING POWER OF JESUS CHRIST.
IT'S THE LOVE OF GOD.
IT'S THE BLOOD THAT HE GAVE,
HIS SON, THAT MAKES US ONE
TOGETHER.
WE GOTTA FIGHT TOGETHER FOR
THE FAITH.
YOU KNOW, THE SCRIPTURE SAYS
THAT IF IT'S--AS FAR AS IT IS
UP TO US, EACH ONE OF US, AS
FAR AS IT IS UP TO US, WE ARE
TO KEEP THE PEACE.
WE ARE TO BE UNITED IN THE
SPIRIT BY THE BOND OF PEACE,
AND GOD SAID IT'S UP TO US TO
KEEP THE PEACE.
SEE, THAT TELLS ME THAT I
HAVE A BIG PART TO PLAY IN
ALL THIS, THAT IF IT'S UP TO
ME, I DON'T HAVE TO GET IN
CONFLICT BECAUSE IF I'M IN
THE MIDDLE OF CONFLICT, I
HAVE A CHOICE.
I CAN EITHER BE IN THE
CONFLICT AND BE THE CONFLICT
OR I CAN BE THE PEACE IN THE
CONFLICT, AND GOD IS SAYING
WHERE THERE IS PEACE, THERE'S
POWER BECAUSE UNITY AND PEACE
GO HAND IN HAND.
THEY CAN'T BE SEPARATED.
WHEN YOU'RE UNITED UNDER THE
BLOOD, YOU CAN HAVE PEACE
BECAUSE GOD HAS THE FINAL
SAY.
YOU DON'T STAND IN YOUR OWN
RIGHTEOUSNESS.
YOU STAND IN GOD'S
RIGHTEOUSNESS, UNDER THE
BLOOD.
LISTEN, HE'S RIGHT EVERY
TIME.
HE'S RIGHT EVERY SINGLE TIME,
AND YOU KNOW, THE SCRIPTURE
TELLS US IN PHILIPPIANS HOW
TO PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF
GOD AND IT TALKS ABOUT THE
DIFFERENT THINGS THAT GOD HAS
GIVEN US TO USE TO STAND
AGAINST THE SCHEMES OF THE
ENEMY, THE ONE THAT WOULD TRY
TO SEPARATE US, CAUSE US TO
BACK BITE, TO DEVOUR
OURSELVES.
SEE, GOD KNEW, DON'T DEVOUR
YOURSELVES.
DON'T TALK ABOUT EACH OTHER.
DON'T ARGUE WITH ONE ANOTHER.
YOU'LL IMPLODE.
YOU WILL DO IT TO YOURSELVES.
STAND IN ONENESS UNDER THE
SPIRIT, AND IT TALKS ABOUT ONE
PARTICULAR GARMENT AND IT'S
THE SHOES OF PEACE.
STAND IN THE SHOES OF PEACE.
TOO MANY PEOPLE WANT TO STAND
IN THE SHOES OF RIGHTNESS.
THEY WANT TO BE RIGHT.
"I'M STANDING FOR WHAT IS
RIGHT."
CAN I TELL YOU?
YOU DON'T NEED TO STAND FOR
WHAT'S LIGHT IF YOU STAND IN
GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS.
GOD'LL MAKE YOU RIGHT.
HE'LL MAKE YOU RIGHT.
SEE, IT'S NOT ABOUT WHO'S
RIGHT ANYWAY.
IT'S ABOUT WHAT'S RIGHT.
IT'S ABOUT THE BLOOD.
LISTEN, GOD IS THE ONE WHO'S
GOING TO BRING THIS WHOLE
THING AROUND.
HEY, IT'S NOT IF YOU DO THIS
OR YOU SAY THAT.
IT'S ONENESS IN JESUS CHRIST.
SO, CAN I ENCOURAGE US AS A
CHURCH BODY TO NOT GET
ENTWINED IN CIVILIAN AFFAIRS?
WE ARE THE ARMY, THE WARRIORS
OF JESUS CHRIST.
WE GOT A GREATER COMMISSION.
WE'VE GOT A HIGHER CALLING.
GOD IS A FAITHFUL GOD, AND
CAN I TELL YOU?
HE WANTS TO USE YOU AND HE
WANTS TO USE ME TO USHER IN
THE GREATEST REVIVAL, THE
BIGGEST HEALING, THE BEST ACT
OF HIS GOODNESS SO FAR AND HE
WANTS TO USE US.
DON'T FALL PREY TO THE ENEMY.
DON'T FALL TO THE TRAP OF THE
ENEMY.
DON'T ALLOW HIM TO STEAL YOUR
COMMANDED BLESSING.
LISTEN, OUR HOMES SHOULD BE
UNITED.
WE SHOULD BE UNITED WITH OUR
SPOUSES, WITH OUR CHILDREN.
LISTEN, AT THE END OF THE
DAY, WE HAVE ONE GOD, ONE
FATHER, THERE IS ONE HEAVEN.
IT IS NOT DIVIDED.
THERE IS ONLY ONE, AND I WANT
TO TELL YOU I DON'T KNOW,
I'VE BEEN MARRIED 30 YEARS
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT JOEL
AND I AGREE ON EVERYTHING?
ABSOLUTELY NOT, BUT I'LL TELL
YOU, AT THE END OF THE DAY,
WE'RE STANDING IN THE SHOES
OF PEACE UNDER THE LORDSHIP
OF JESUS CHRIST.
WE'RE GOING TO LET HIM FIGHT
OUR BATTLES FOR US.
WE'RE GOING TO LET HIM MAKE
OUR WRONGS RIGHT, AND WE'RE
GOING TO STAY IN UNITY OF THE
SPIRIT WITH THE BOND OF
PEACE, AND WE'RE DEDICATED TO
THAT MORE THAN EVER BECAUSE
AS LEADERS OF THIS CHURCH, WE
HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY.
THIS ISN'T THE TIME TO
NITPICK AT EACH OTHER, TO
SAY, "YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE IT
THAT WAY, I TOLD YOU SO."
IT IS THE TIME TO KEEP OUR
MOUTHS SHUT, TO STAY IN
PEACE, AND UNIFY OURSELVES
FOR OUR CHILDREN, FOR OUR
CHURCHES, FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S SO MUCH BIGGER THAN US.
LISTEN, LET YOUR KIDS OFF THE
HOOK.
BE A PARENT, BE LOVING, BE
KIND, INSTRUCT THEM, BUT DON'T
BREAK THEIR BACK.
BREAK THE POWER OF DARKNESS
OVER THEIR LIFE.
YOU DON'T NEED TO BREAK THEM.
AS LONG AS YOU'RE STANDING
UNDER THE BLOOD, YOU CAN
BREAK THAT POWER OF DARKNESS
AND YOU CAN SHOW LOVE, AN
IRRESISTIBLE LOVE OF THE
FATHER.
I JUST WANT TO PRAY FOR US
RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THIS IS THE
TIME, WE GOTTA GET SERIOUS.
WE GOTTA WAKE UP.
WE GOTTA TAKE CHARGE.
YOU KNOW, THE BEAUTY OF GOD
AND THE BEAUTY OF CHRIST
JESUS AND HIS SACRIFICE WAS
THAT WE CAN ALWAYS COME BACK
AND REAPPLY THE BLOOD.
WHEN WE MAKE A MISTAKE, WHEN
WE SAY THE WRONG THING, WE
DON'T HAVE TO STAY THERE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO SPIRAL
DOWNHILL, WE CAN COME BACK
AND WE CAN APPLY THE BLOOD,
AND GUESS WHAT, THAT BLOOD
STILL SPEAKS.
IT STILL FORGIVES.
IT STILL REDEEMS.
IT STILL CLEANSES.
IT STILL MAKES US RIGHTEOUS.
[CONGREGATION APPLAUDING]
>> VICTORIA: I JUST WANT TO
PRAY RIGHT NOW FOR UNITY
IN OUR COMMUNITY, OUR
FAMILIES, OUR CHURCHES,
AND IN OUR LAND.
FATHER, I THANK YOU THAT WE
ARE JOINED IN OUR FAITH
TOGETHER.
FATHER, I THANK YOU THAT
YOU'RE A FAITHFUL GOD AND WE
PUT OURSELF UNDER THE BLOOD
OF JESUS CHRIST BECAUSE WE
KNOW WHEN WE ARE UNDER THE
BLOOD, THAT'S WHERE THE POWER
IS.
THERE IS ONENESS IN THE
BLOOD.
FATHER, WE THANK YOU THAT YOU
WILL BREAK THE POWER OF THE
ENEMY FOR US, FATHER, AS WE
KEEP OURSELF ONE WITH YOU AND
ONE WITH ONE ANOTHER, FATHER,
YOU WILL DO THE WORK FOR US.
LORD, LET US BE JUST BEACONS
OF HOPE WHEREVER WE CAN.
LET US BRING PEACE, FATHER,
TO EVERY SITUATION.
FATHER, LET US EXTEND YOUR
GOODNESS, AND YOUR MERCY, AND
YOUR LOVE TO ALL THOSE WHO
ARE LOST, AND HURTING, AND
CRYING, AND DESPERATE.
FATHER, LET US REACH A HAND
OUT AND SHOW LOVE TO THEM,
FATHER, SO WE CAN USHER THEM
SAFELY INTO YOUR ARMS DURING
THESE DIFFICULT TIMES.
FATHER, WE THANK YOU THAT YOU
ARE A GOOD GOD.
WE HONOR YOU TODAY AND WE
THANK YOU THAT WE ARE CALLED
CHILDREN OF THE MOST HIGH GOD
AND THAT WE STAND IN OUR
SHOES OF PEACE IN YOUR
RIGHTEOUSNESS.
IN JESUS NAME, AND EVERYONE
SAID, AMEN AND AMEN.
WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH.
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.