Joel Osteen - Day Forty-One is Coming
- Watch
- Audio
- Donate
- Contact Us
I want to talk to you today about Day Forty-One is Coming. We all go through seasons of testing and proving, times of adversity and struggle where we're praying and believing, but things aren't changing. In the scripture these seasons are described as 40 days. 40 is a symbolic number, it's mentioned 154 times. It refers to seasons of testing, struggle, where it doesn't look like things are going to change. After Noah built the ark, it rained for 40 days. Jesus was tempted in the desert 40 days. Goliath taunted the Israelites 40 days. Moses made a mistake, hid in the desert for 40 years.
In life we'll all have a few 40-day experiences, where we're facing a giant that looks too big, a slow season, in the desert so to speak. A storm where it keeps raining, medical reports not improving, a child not coming home, still haven't met the right person. It's tempting to get discouraged and give up on our dreams, but when you're in one of these 40 days, with thoughts telling you, "It's never going to change", you have to know day 41 is coming. The scripture says God has set an end to the difficulty. I can't promise you you won't have some 40 days, but I can promise you: day 41 will always come.
But the number 40 gets a lot of attention, you have to stay focused on the 41. Yes it rained for 40 days, but on day 41 the rain stopped and Noah and his family were saved. Yes, the enemy tempted Jesus 40 days, but on day 41 angel showed up and strengthened him. Yes, Goliath taunted the Israelites 40 days, but on day 41 David showed up and put an end to it. You may be in a 40-day period now, doesn't look like you'll ever get well or get out of debt or see your family restored. You could easily complain, be negative. Try a new approach, "Father, thank you that my day 41 is coming. Thank you that you've already set an expiration day for this trouble".
When God told Noah to build the ark, it had never rained before. He could have come up with good excuses to not do it, but Noah obeyed. He did the right thing when it was hard. He didn't have trouble because he was lazy, wouldn't listen, compromised. He faced his 40 days because he was faithful, because he honored God and wouldn't take the easy way out. When you're in a 40-day period, thoughts will whisper, "It's because you made those mistakes. You should have done better. God's upset with you". We think the storm is always God's judgment, his punishment, but sometimes like Noah, your 40 days is a result of being obedient, it's because you're honoring God. Not that you've done something wrong, you've done something right. God can trust you to pass the test, to keep that attitude of faith.
Now, we don't like the trials, they're uncomfortable, but that 40 days is positioning you for greater things. God knows the end from the beginning. We see the 40 days, but God sees day 41, he sees what he's about to do. You have to go through it to get to it. You have to persevere, you have to stand in faith. The scripture (Ephesians 6:13) says, "Having done all, to stand". You just keep standing, your attitude is, "I will not give up, I will not get bitter. Yes, it's raining, I don't see any sign of things improving, but I know a secret: these 40 days is not how my story ends, day 41 is coming". God has not brought you this far to leave you. Get your passion back, get your fire back, this test is only temporary. God being for you is more than what's coming against you.
I love the faith of Noah, because everyone would have been making fun of him, "This crazy guy is building a boat in the desert, there's no water to put it in. He says it's going to flood, never rained before". But despite all the negative chatter, all the naysayers, he just kept doing what God put in his heart. He finished building the boat, got all of his family in with him. The scripture says, "God closed the door". There was a time that no one else could get in. Started raining one day, two days, a week, two weeks, 3 weeks. The whole earth was flooded, wiped out all the people, plants, animals, houses. The scripture says it was torrential rains. Not a little sprinkle, this was a huge storm. I'm sure it was chaotic, the boat rocking, the winds blowing. But think about how good God is: Noah was rising above what was destroying others. Even though he was in a storm, God was sustaining him, not letting him go down.
When you're in a 40-day season, you may not realize it, but God's not letting you go under. That sickness couldn't take you out, that trouble at work, it was hard, but you had the strength to endure. That child that broke your heart, you look back now and think how did you make it through, that was God keeping you, strengthening you, favoring you. You can't always see it in the storm, but God is working. He's a very present help in times of trouble. That means in the 40 days he's close to you, he's not allowing the difficulty to take you out.
But I'm sure after a couple of weeks of rain, and wind, and the boat rocking, thoughts whispered to Noah, "It's never going to quit raining. This storm is permanent". Same thoughts that come to us, "You'll always have this struggle, always struggle in your finances, always have to deal with this depression". Noah would wake up in the morning, I can imagine first thing he'd do was check, "Oh, man, it's still. Raining 19 days in a row. 25 days, 33 days, no sign of rain stopping". He went to bed on day 40, seemed like just another ordinary day, dark clouds, more wind, more rain. Little did he know, when he woke up on day 41 the rain had stopped, the wind had ceased, the sky had cleared, the sun began to come out. Was the Dawning of a new season. All those thoughts that had told him it was never going to stop raining, he'd always be in that limited environment, he realized they weren't true, that God had set an end to the difficulty, that it was just a season of testing, a season of struggle.
Like Noah, you may be in your 40 days. You've done the right thing, you've honored God, but it's raining, medical reports not good, doors have closed on your dreams, you're dealing with that anxiety. Thoughts will whisper, "Never going to change. God's forgotten about you". Can I encourage you day? 41 is coming. The rain will cease, the storm will stop, the trouble will end. You are closer than you think. You can't see it, but things are about to shift in your favor. You're on the verge of a breakthrough. Your health turning around, a child coming home, your business taking off. It's going to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, you didn't see it coming. Like Noah, you went to bed one night, thinking everything would be the same, you woke up the next morning and the rain had stopped. God stepped in and did what only he can do.
See, some storms you can't stop. There are some battles you can't win, it's going to take the Most High God breathing on your life. The good news is: he's watching over you, he sees a little sparrow when they falls to the ground, how much more is God concerned about you? He knows the struggle, he knows who did you wrong, what looks impossible. He wouldn't have let you get in that difficulty if he couldn't bring you out. The scripture tells us to wait with expectancy, wait believing that it's coming, wait thanking God that it's on the way, wait expecting things to change in your favor. Not waiting discouraged, "I'll never get well. I don't think I'll ever get that scholarship. This addiction has been in my family for years". You're the one to break it. God raised you up to set a new standard. May have been that way a long time, but don't accept it as permanent.
That's the mistake the Israelites made. They wandered in the desert 40 years, because they never really believed. They complained, they had a limited mindset, but their children had a different mentality. They didn't see themselves as former slaves, and "These enemies are too big, we'll never have success". They had a victorious mentality. They realized they were children of Almighty God, that defeat was not their destiny. After their parents wandered around the same mountain for 40 years, these children came into 41, they went into the Promised Land. They lived in houses they didn't build. They ate from vineyards that they didn't plant, in a land flowing with milk and honey. Not a limited supply with a certain amount of milk, a certain amount of resources, once they ran out it's gone. It was flowing, continual, abundance, more than enough. That happened after 40 years of lack, 40 years of struggle, 40 years of mediocrity.
There may be things that have been in your family a long time, can't get ahead, stuck in a limited environment or unhealthy relationships, people that compromise, addictions, loneliness. God is saying, "That 40 years has run his course. You're coming in to 41. In 41 you break out of the box and go into your Promised Land. In 41 you see favor your family's never seen. In 41 there's opportunity chasing you down, the right people knocking at your door. In 41 there's creativity, ideas, talent that you didn't know you had. In 41 you're catapulted into influence, leadership, positions of honor and authority". You may be in some wilderness years now, where there's struggle and adversity, you have to know: that is not your destiny, day 41 is coming.
6 months after the rain stopped, the water started to recede, and Noah sent a raven out to see if it could find dry ground, hoping they could get off the boat. But the raven came back, there was nowhere to land, still flooded. Noah didn't get discouraged, think that it was never going to change, he waited a few weeks and send another bird out. This time it came back with an olive leaf in its beak. The bird couldn't land, but Noah knew things were getting better. A week later he sent a dove out and the dove never returned, there was dry ground, they were able to get off the boat.
But notice how Noah kept looking, believing, knowing that the boat was not his destiny. He knew that God was faithful. That it may storm for 40 days, but day 41 is coming. When you're in a storm, you have to do like Noah: keep expecting things to change. Don't let it become permanent, keep sending that bird out so to speak, keep looking for God's goodness, keep expecting your health to improve, keep believing for your business to turn around, keep thanking God that the right people will show up.
I talked to a lady that was in town for treatment at the medical center. She was diagnosed with a rare form of kidney cancer, she had it for six years. She had taken chemotherapy several different times, the doctors had put her on a special trial, experimenting with new medicines, but with no success. She would come to church when she was in town, and she was always full of faith. I couldn't encourage her, she would encourage me. She told me how that cancer was temporary, that it would pass, that she was going to be a testimony of God's goodness. I just smiled and agreed with her.
When she came back last Sunday so excited, she showed me scans of her kidney. On one you could see the dark spot, the cancer, but on the newest scan it's perfectly clean, there's no sign of cancer. The doctors told her of all the hundreds of patients on that trial she was the only one that's seen improvement. It's not just the medicine, it's Jehovah Rapha, the Lord our healer. What happened? She came into a 41st day.
You may be dealing with a sickness or some difficulty, and you're in your 18th day, your 25th day, your 37th day. You have to do like her, keep reminding yourself that day 41 is coming, that storm is not going to last, the trouble is is not permanent. The same God that stopped the rain for Noah is going to stop the rain in your life. The same God that took the children of the Israelites into the Promised Land is going to take you into your Promised Land, where there's no more wandering, no more raining, no more sickness, no more can't get ahead. Day 41 is on your calendar. God has already scheduled the turnaround, the healing. He's already lined up the breakthrough, the divine connection. Just a matter of time before the winds cease, the waters recede, you step in to a new level of your destiny.
The scripture (1 Peter 4:12) says, "Don't think it's strange when you face fiery trials, that are to test the quality of your faith". Sometimes the 40 days is simply a test, it's the time to prove to God who you are, to show him you're not going to be discouraged by the rain, you're not going to get bitter over who did you wrong, you're not going to complain because plans didn't work out, business hasn't taken off, you lost that loved one. Your attitude in the storm, how we respond to the trials will have a great impact on when we see the 41st day. When you show God that you trust him, you're not moved by the rain, you're still believing, praising, thanking, smiling, you're passing the test. That's when he'll release you into greater things in your life.
When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, he came up out of the water, a dove landed on his shoulder, representing the Holy Spirit. A voice boomed out, "This is my beloved son in whom I'm well pleased". It's an incredible moment where Jesus was announced publicly for the first time. You would think Jesus would go into the city and start healing people, start doing miracles. I'm sure he is fired up, ready to go, but the scripture (Matthew 4:1) says "The spirit led him into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil". Doesn't say the enemy led him there, that this was the opposition tried to hold him back. It said God led him to the desert for a period of testing.
You can be in God's will and be in the desert. For 40 days the enemy tempted Jesus, "You're hungry, turn these stones into bread. Bow down worship me, I'll give you all these kingdoms. Jump off this high building, prove that you're the Son of God". 40 days it was a struggle, Jesus was hungry, he'd been fasting, no food, he had to endure, resist and outlast. He passed the test and proved that he was faithful, that he wouldn't compromise. 40 days it was difficult, then day 41 came, angels showed up to strengthen him, empower him. Day 41 Jesus came out of the desert, the scripture says "In the power of the spirit". He stepped into a new authority, a new anointing, a new dimension of his destiny.
It says in Luke that he left the desert and went to the temple, stood up in front of the people and read the scroll from the prophet Isaiah. It said (Luke 4:18) "The spirit of the Lord is upon me to preach the good news, heal the sick, set at liberty those that are captive, to declare the acceptable year of God's favor". He rolled the scroll up and said, "This day this scripture is fulfilled". Well, 700 years earlier Isaiah had written this prophecy. Jesus said, "Today it's coming to pass". After being tempted for 40 days, on day 41 Jesus stepped in to what was declared about him hundreds of years earlier.
Now, you may be in a time of testing and proving. It's difficult, but you keeping you're keeping the right attitude. The medical report hasn't improved, but you keep thanking God for healing. People at work didn't give you the credit, you keep being your best each day. You could be bitter over the door that closed, that person that walked away, but you know God has something better coming. Well, you're passing the test. Like Jesus, you're going to come into the 41st day. Not only where you feel strength and power that you've never felt, but you're going to step into things that God prophesied over you long before you got here, things he spoken over your destiny before you were born. God said to Jeremiah "Before you were formed in your mother's womb, I ordained you to be a great prophet to the nations". On your 41st day you will fulfill prophecy, favor, influence, greater than you've imagined.
Now don't get discouraged in the testing, in the wilderness seasons. Those are times of proving, where you have to show God what you're made of. You may be in day 15 now and thoughts whisper "This is never going to change". Day 22, "You'll always be overlooked". Day 34, "Just take the easy way out, everybody's doing it". No, stand strong, keep doing the right thing. The end is already set, the time of struggle, testing, loneliness, that expiration date is already scheduled. Day 41 is coming. Day 41 is an anointing of ease, where what used to be a struggle is not a struggle anymore. Day 41 is when the person of your dream shows up, someone better than you imagine. Day 41 is when you see restoration, beauty for ashes, God working all things for your good.
Some of you don't realize, you're in day 38, day 39, you're too close to quit, you're on the verge of what you've been believing for. This is not the time to give up, get discouraged. You have to dig down deep, say, "I'm in it for the long haul. I will not be moved. God, I believe my day 41 is coming, that this storm will cease and I'll see your goodness in new ways". When you do that, you're going to feel a second wind, God breathing fresh strength, greater endurance, new vision so you can make it to 41.
My father pastured Lakewood for 40 years. He started the church with my mother back in 1959, my father passed in 1999. I stepped up to pastor the church. We thought if we could just keep the church church going, we'd be doing great. We could just maintain, not let it go down, that would be a victory. My father was such a strong leader, powerful minister, big personality, he was my hero. I thought, "Man, if I can be half of who he was, I'd be doing great". I'd been behind the scenes all those years, doing the production. I'm naturally more quiet, reserved. I didn't have all the training, the experience, but when my father suddenly passed, I didn't realize I stepped in to year 41, I stepped into favor, influence, opportunity my father never saw.
41 is a time where God catapult you ahead. We were hoping we could maintain the church, but here we are in the former Compaq Center. You know what this is? Day 41. There are some 41s in your future. You've been faithful, you passed the test, you're you're going to see God show out in your life, open doors you never imagined would open, turn situations around that you thought were permanent. Don't believe those lies that you've seen your best days, day 41 is coming.
Goliath was a champion of the Philistine army, he was over 9ft tall. The scripture (1 Samuel 17:16) says, "For forty days he stood on the side of the mountain, every morning and evening, and taunted the Israelites", making threats, insults, pestering them. When the Israelite army heard them, they were terrified, they would run and hide 40 days, paralyzed with fear. 40 days they thought there was no way out, facing an angry giant, it was twice their size. All of us will have some Goliaths in life. Not just the size, but how about the negative chatter, people that tell you you can't accomplish your dreams, you never get well. Sometimes the Goliath is our own thoughts, "You're too small, you're not attractive, you don't have what it takes".
For 40 days God allowed the giant to speak, to insult, to threaten, but God has set an end to the difficulty. Day 41 a teenage boy named David showed up. He heard Goliath mocking the Israelites, he saw everyone run and hide, but something rose up in him: a fire, a passion, a courage. He looked at Goliath and said (1 Samuel 17:26), "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God". He was saying in effect, "This may have gone on for 40 days, but day 41 is here". He picked up a smooth stone, he slung that rock and it knocked Goliath to the ground. He took Goliath sword and cut his head off.
"Well, Joel, I can't wait 'till David shows up and does something about this giant". Can I tell you a secret? You're the David, you're the one to defeat what's limiting you. God allowed it for a 40-day season, a certain amount of time, but it's not permanent. You're not supposed to run and hide, live intimidate, "Oh man, there's sickness, these people at work, they're so much more powerful, I'm the underdog".
God loves to use the underdog, he loves to take those who people think are too small, don't have the training, nobody expects them to win, they expect you to hide, live with the dysfunction. Deep down you're going to feel what David felt: a supernatural power, a divine enablement, a favor on your slingshot to where you rise up and say, "I'm the giant killer, I'm the difference maker, I'm the one to put an end to what's hindering my family". May have gone on for 40 days, or 40 years, but God is saying "Day 41 is here". That giant is about to come down, that sickness is about to turn around, that struggle and lack is coming to an end.
Friends, I can't promise you that you won't have some 40 days like Noah where it rains, like Jesus where you're in a desert season, being tempted. Like David, you're facing a big obstacle. But I can promise you: day 41 is coming. God is faithful, he has you in the palm of his hand. He sees you being faithful, doing the right thing when it's hard. You are passing the test. When those lies whisper, "It's never going to change", no, remember, God has set an end to your difficulty, he's already scheduled the expiration day. I believe and declare: like with Noah, the storm is about to cease. Like the children of the Israelites, bondages that have held your family back are being broken. Like David, that giant that's been taunting you, the sickness, the addiction, the trouble at work is coming down. You will go into your Promised Land, in Jesus name. If you receive it, can you say amen? Amen! I receive it as well!