>> VICTORIA OSTEEN: THANK
YOU, LORD.
WE ARE BELIEVERS IN THIS
PLACE.
WE LOVE YOU THIS MORNING,
AMEN.
WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL, I
LOVED TO GO TO THE BEACH WITH
MY FAMILY.
WE WOULD GET TO THE BEACH,
AND I REMEMBER SO WELL WE HAD
THIS HUGE RED UMBRELLA THAT
WE'D DRILL DOWN IN THE SAND.
WE'D PUT OUR BEACH BLANKET
OUT, GET OUR ICE CHEST, GET
OUR SPOT READY FOR A DAY AT
THE BEACH, AND AS SOON AS IT
WAS SET, I'D TAKE OFF TO THE
WATER.
I COULD SPEND HOURS OUT IN
THE WAVES, JUST HAVING SUCH A
GOOD TIME, AND ONE DAY, I HAD
BEEN OUT THERE, SEEMS LIKE
FOR SEVERAL HOURS.
IN FACT, I HAD MADE IT TO THE
SECOND SANDBAR.
NOW, IF YOU KNOW WHAT THOSE
SANDBARS ARE, THEY'RE DEEP
SPOTS, AND THEN YOU GET ON
THE SANDBAR, AND IT'S LIKE
YOU'RE ON THE SHORE.
YOU CAN BE WAY OUT, AND YOU
CAN BE JUST UP TO YOUR KNEES.
SO I HAD MADE MY WAY ALL THE
WAY OUT TO THE SECOND
SANDBAR.
I WANTED MY FAMILY TO SEE ME
FROM SHORE BECAUSE I THOUGHT,
"I AM--REALLY DONE WELL
TODAY."
SO I STOOD UP, AND I BEGAN TO
WAVE MY HANDS, LOOKING FOR MY
FAMILY.
I WAS SEARCHING EVERYWHERE
FOR WHERE OUR SPOT WAS, WHERE
WE HAD SET THAT RED UMBRELLA.
WHAT I REALIZED, I COULD SEE
A LOT OF PEOPLE.
I COULD SEE A LOT OF THINGS,
BUT I COULDN'T SPOT MY
FAMILY.
WELL, I GOT KIND OF
PANICKING.
AS A LITTLE GIRL, I THOUGHT,
"I GOT TO FIND MY FAMILY.
WHERE DID THEY GO?"
SO I SWAM AS QUICK AS I
COULD, WORKED REALLY HARD TO
MAKE IT TO SHORE, LOOKING FOR
MY FAMILY.
I'LL WALK TO THE LEFT, ALL
THE WAY AS FAR AS I COULD.
COULDN'T FIND THEM.
TURNED AROUND, WALKED TO THE
RIGHT, LOOKING AND LOOKING
FOR MY FAMILY, WHEN AT A
DISTANCE, I SPOTTED THAT RED
UMBRELLA, AND CAN I TELL YOU,
AS A LITTLE GIRL, THAT WAS A
HAPPY MOMENT FOR ME.
I THOUGHT, "THERE THEY ARE.
I'M SAFE, AND EVERYTHING IS
OKAY."
YOU SEE, WHAT I DIDN'T
REALIZE WAS, WHEN I WAS OUT
IN THAT WATER, THOSE
UNDERCURRENTS WERE SLOWLY
TAKING ME DOWN THE BEACH.
IT WAS SO SUBTLE.
I WAS PLAYING, MINDING MY OWN
BUSINESS, BUT THEY JUST DRUG
ME ALL THE WAY DOWN THE BEACH
ABOUT TWO- TO THREE HUNDRED-,
MAYBE MORE, FEET, DOWN THE
BEACH.
I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE WHAT
WAS HAPPENING TO ME.
YOU KNOW, IN LIFE, IT CAN
BE MUCH LIKE THAT.
THERE ARE UNDERCURRENTS IN
LIFE, TRYING TO DRAG US OFF,
GET US OFF COURSE FROM WHERE
WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE.
I HEAR THESE COMMENTS A LOT:
"I WAS RAISED IN CHURCH.
MY WHOLE LIFE, I WENT TO
CHURCH.
I DON'T KNOW HOW I GOT SO FAR
AWAY FROM GOD."
SPOKE TO A WOMAN THE OTHER
DAY.
SHE WAS TELLING ME HOW HAPPY
HER MARRIAGE WAS UNTIL THEY
BEGAN TO ARGUE, UNTIL THEY
BEGAN TO NOT BE ABLE TO SEE
EYE TO EYE.
SHE SAID, "WE WERE SO HAPPY
AT FIRST," SHE SAID, "BUT NOW
WE'VE DRIFTED APART.
WE'VE SEPARATED.
THINGS JUST AREN'T THE
SAME."
YOU SEE, THOSE ARE THE
RESULTS OF THE UNDERCURRENTS
THAT ARE TRYING TO DESTROY
OUR LIFE, TO GET US OFF
COURSE, AND THOSE ARE THE
THINGS THAT WE NEED TO PAY
ATTENTION TO BECAUSE THEY CAN
BE SO SUBTLE, WE DON'T EVEN
REALIZE THAT THEY'RE
HAPPENING.
UNDERCURRENTS CAN BE MANY
DIFFERENT THINGS.
CAN BE HANGING AROUND WITH
THE WRONG PEOPLE, THE WRONG
FRIENDS, GOING PLACES AND
BEING WITH PEOPLE THAT DON'T
HAVE THE SAME VALUES THAT YOU
DO.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT THE
BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THAT.
IT SAYS, "BAD COMPANY
CORRUPTS GOOD CHARACTER."
IT ACTUALLY SAYS, "DON'T BE
MISLED."
DON'T BE MISLED.
UNDERCURRENTS CAN BE BAD
ATTITUDES, CAN BE
SELFISHNESS, LAZINESS, ANGER.
SEE, THESE ARE THE THINGS
THAT CAN SEPARATE FAMILIES.
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT CAN
CAUSE US TO LOSE GOOD JOBS,
SUCCESSFUL CAREERS.
YOU SEE, IF I WOULD'VE JUST
PAID ATTENTION TO WHERE I WAS
IN RELATION TO WHERE THAT RED
UMBRELLA WAS, I COULD'VE KEPT
MY POSITION.
SEE, THE UNDERCURRENTS WERE
THERE, AND THEY WERE DRAGGING
ME OFF BECAUSE UNDERCURRENTS
WILL ALWAYS HAVE THAT
TENDENCY TO DRAG US, BUT I
COULD'VE MADE THE NECESSARY
ADJUSTMENTS TO GET BACK IN
LINE.
SEE, I COULD HAVE POSITIONED
MYSELF BACK TO WHERE I NEEDED
TO BE.
I THINK ABOUT SAMSON IN THE
BIBLE.
MANY OF YOU KNOW HIS STORY.
THE PROPHETS PREDICTED HIS
BIRTH.
HE WAS A MAN THAT HAD AN
AMAZING DESTINY LINED OUT FOR
HIM.
HE HAD THIS SUPERNATURAL
STRENGTH THAT GOD HAD GIVEN
HIM.
HE WAS TALENTED.
GOD HAD POSITIONED HIM IN AN
AMAZING POSITION, BUT HE WAS
WEAK IN HIS MORALITY.
HE GOT HIS EYES ON THE WRONG
THINGS.
HE LET HIS GUARD DOWN.
YOU SEE, HE DIDN'T KEEP THE
POSITION THAT HE HAD.
THOSE UNDERCURRENTS IN LIFE
DRAGGED HIM OFF, AND HE NEVER
WAS EVERYTHING HE COULD'VE
BEEN.
CAN YOU IMAGINE IF HE
WOULD'VE JUST GOT UP DURING
THE DAY, AT SOME POINT, IF HE
WOULD'VE JUST SAID TO
HIMSELF, "AM I ON THE RIGHT
COURSE?
AM I FOCUSED?
AM I ALIGNED WITH MY PURPOSE?
AM I TREATING PEOPLE RIGHT?
AM I RESPECTING WHAT GOD HAS
GIVEN ME?
AM I WALKING HUMBLY BEFORE
HIM, HONORING HIM WITH WHAT I
DO?"
CAN YOU IMAGINE IF HE
WOULD'VE DONE THAT, THE LIFE
HE COULD'VE LIVED?
SEE, HE WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO
SUFFER SO MUCH PAIN, AND HE
WOULDN'T HAVE ENDED UP IN THE
HANDS OF HIS ENEMY.
YOU SEE, WE ALL NEED TO DEAL
WITH THESE UNDERCURRENTS.
SEE, THEY DON'T GO AWAY.
LIFE IS FULL OF
UNDERCURRENTS.
LIFE IS FULL OF DISTRACTIONS,
TEMPTATIONS.
YOU SEE, WE ALL MAKE
MISTAKES.
WE ALL FALL DOWN SOMETIMES,
BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO STAY
DOWN.
WE CAN REALIGN AND READJUST
OURSELF.
WE'VE JUST GOT TO BE WILLING
TO ASK OURSELF THE QUESTIONS
EVERY DAY: "AM I FULFILLING
MY DESTINY?
AM I HONORING GOD?"
YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF LIKE
GETTING OFF YOUR DIET AND
EATING SOME ICE CREAM, AND
THEN YOU GO, "OH, WELL, I'M
SO OFF MY DIET, I'LL JUST GO
GET THE WHOLE GALLON."
YOU KNOW, WE DO THIS
SOMETIME.
IN FACT, THEY SAY THAT MOST
OF LIFE IS JUST HABITS.
CAN I TELL YOU, WE'VE GOT TO
LOOK AT OUR HABITS?
WE'VE GOT TO SEE IF THESE
HABITS ARE SERVING US,
SERVING OUR FAMILY, CREATING
THE LIFE THAT WE WERE
INTENDED TO HAVE.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THESE
THINGS JUST SEEM SMALL AND
INSIGNIFICANT, BUT CAN I TELL
YOU?
IT'S THOSE SMALL THINGS THAT
AREN'T TAKEN CARE OF THAT CAN
DO DAMAGE: THROWING OUR WORDS
AROUND, BEING DISRESPECTFUL
IN A RELATIONSHIP, SAYING
THINGS THAT WE WANT TO.
YOU SEE, YOU COULD SAY TO
YOURSELF, "LOOK, I'M JUST
LETTING OFF A LITTLE STEAM.
THEY KNOW I LOVE THEM."
"THEY DESERVE IT.
THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE
THAT."
SEE, WE CAN MAKE EXCUSES FOR
THESE LITTLE THINGS, ALL DAY
LONG: SHOWING UP TO WORK
LATE, THINKING, "YOU KNOW, MY
BOSS ISN'T HERE.
HE DOESN'T EVEN COME TILL
8:30.
I DON'T KNOW WHY HE EXPECTS
ME TO BE HERE AT 8 O'CLOCK."
SURFING THE INTERNET WHEN THE
COMPANY IS PAYING YOU, NOT
BEING YOUR BEST, SEE, THESE
SEEM SMALL, BUT THESE ARE THE
SMALL THINGS THAT CAN TURN
INTO BIG ISSUES IN OUR LIFE
IF WE'RE NOT CAREFUL.
THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, "IT'S THE
SMALL FOXES THAT SPOIL THE
VINE."
SEE, IT'S THOSE THINGS THAT
WE DON'T ALWAYS PAY ATTENTION
TO.
THEY'RE SUBTLE.
THEY LIKE TO CAUSE US TO MOVE
FROM THE POSITION THAT WE ARE
SUPPOSED TO BE.
YOU SEE, IF YOU FOUND
YOURSELF DRIFTING IN AREAS
TODAY, I WANT TO TELL YOU,
YOU CAN REFOCUS.
YOU CAN REALIGN YOURSELF.
IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO CORRECT.
YOU CAN START TODAY.
LISTEN TO WHAT IT SAYS IN
COLOSSIANS 3:2.
IT SAYS, "SET YOUR MIND ON
THINGS ABOVE, NOT ON EARTHLY
THINGS."
YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?
IT MEANS SET YOUR MIND ON THE
HIGHER THINGS.
SET YOUR MIND ON THE THINGS
OF VALUE, THE THINGS OF
IMPORTANCE, THE THINGS THAT
ENRICH YOUR GOD-GIVEN
DESTINY.
YOU ARE FULL OF GIFTS AND
TALENTS.
YOU'VE GOT TO SET YOUR MIND
ON WHERE YOU WANT TO GO WITH
THOSE GIFTS AND TALENTS,
CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE THAT
BRINGS JOY AND LOVE AND
FORGIVENESS.
YOU SEE, JUST LIKE THAT RED
UMBRELLA MARKED MY SPOT, IF I
WOULD'VE JUST SET MY MIND ON
IT, I COULD'VE KEPT MY
POSITION.
WE'VE GOT TO SET OUR MIND ON
HONORING GOD, SET OUR MIND ON
LIVING A LIFE OF INTEGRITY,
SET OUR MIND ON FULFILLING
THE DREAMS THAT GOD HAS PUT
IN OUR HEART.
DON'T THINK THEY'RE TOO BIG.
YOU'VE JUST GOT TO SET YOUR
MIND ON THEM, AND THEY'LL
COME OUT OF YOU.
YOU KNOW, TODAY, LET ME JUST
SAY THIS: THE BIBLE SAYS LAY
ASIDE THOSE WEIGHTS, THOSE
SINS THAT SO EASILY COME
AGAINST US TO GET US OFF
COURSE.
LISTEN, GOD KNOWS HOW EASY IT
IS.
YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE IF YOU
HAVE SINNED.
YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE IF
YOU'VE MOVED OUT OF YOUR
DIRECTION.
THERE IS NO MISTAKE THAT
YOU'VE MADE TODAY THAT WILL
TAKE YOU FROM YOUR DESTINY.
GOD LOVES YOU WITH AN
EVERLASTING LOVE, AND HE'S
SAYING, "IT IS EASY, SO YOU
HAVE TO SET YOUR MIND."
MAYBE YOU NEED TO ASK FOR
FORGIVENESS TODAY.
MAYBE YOU NEED TO GO TO A
FAMILY MEMBER AND SAY, "HEY,
LISTEN, I HAVE MESSED UP.
I'M GOING TO SET MY MIND, SET
MY HEART ON BEING A GOOD
HUSBAND, WIFE, FATHER."
WHATEVER IT IS TODAY, YOU CAN
START AND BEGIN AGAIN.
I BELIEVE THAT YOU'VE GOT AN
AMAZING FUTURE IN STORE FOR
YOU.
I BELIEVE THAT GOD IS SAYING
TO YOU, "I KNOW IT'S EASY,
BUT I'VE GIVEN YOU THE POWER
TO OVERCOME THE CURRENTS OF
LIFE.
YOU MAY HAVE TO WADE IN THESE
CURRENTS, BUT YOU CAN CONTROL
YOUR LIFE IN THESE
CURRENTS."
I BELIEVE AND DECLARE TODAY
THAT GOD HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE
IN STORE FOR YOU, BIGGER THAN
YOU CAN EVER ASK, THINK, OR
IMAGINE.
HE'S GOING TO GOING TO OPEN
NEW DOORS OF OPPORTUNITIES
FOR YOU.
HE'S GOING TO MAKE UP LOST
TIME FOR YOU.
HE'S GOING TO GET YOU TO
WHERE YOU NEED TO BE, IN
JESUS'S NAME, AND IF YOU
BELIEVE THAT, SHOUT A GREAT
BIG "AMEN."
AMEN AND AMEN.
> JOEL: THANKS FOR WATCHING
THE MESSAGE.
I HOPE IT
INSPIRED AND UPLIFTED YOU.
MAKE SURE YOU SUBSCRIBE TO
STAY CONNECTED.
THERE ARE
NEW MESSAGES EVERY WEEK.
WE LOVE YOU AND WE'LL SEE
YOU NEXT TIME.