Joel Osteen - A Transfer Is Coming
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I want to talk to you today about "A Transfer Is Coming". We all have dreams and goals we want to accomplish. We know God's put it in our heart: start a business, to build that orphanage, to send our children to college, but we don't have the means to do it, we don't have the resources, the position, the influence. It seems like we're limited. But the scripture says (Proverbs 13:22), "The wealth of the ungodly is laid up for the righteous". One version says, "It will be transferred into the hands of the righteous".
Now you may not be able to accomplish your dreams on your own. What's in your heart is too big for your bank account. You have the vision, you want to leave your family better off, but you don't have the position. The good news is: a transfer is coming. God doesn't give you the vision without having provisions. It's already lined up these transfers: good breaks, divine connections. Because you're the righteous, because you keep God first place, you're faithful, you're generous, you're good to others, God said he's going to take from those who are not using their resources in a positive way. They're not using their influence, their means to help mankind. They're only focused on themselves, and he's going to transfer that into your hands. It's going to be out of the ordinary, where you have the means to accomplish things you've never dreamed. You can leave an inheritance like the scripture says to your children's children. You can expand your business. You can support that girl's home. You can move into that nice neighborhood.
Here's the key: you don't have to chase the blessing. Chase after God, and the blessing will chase you. These transfers will track you down. The scripture says: when you honor God, his blessings will overtake you. One version says they will catch you by surprise. You didn't see it coming, you never dreamed you could pay your house off, you thought it would be 30 years, then suddenly a transfer, God favors you: a promotion, an inheritance, a business opportunity. You never dreamed you'd be running that department, you thought you were stuck in the background. You never dreamed you could send your children to college, you thought you were limited. What happened? You came into a transfer. God suddenly shifted things. You went from the back to the front, from renting to owning, from not having enough to more than enough.
This transfer is not just material things, but it's influence: it's honor, prestige, where people see you in a new light. They look down on you, didn't give you credit, wouldn't take your ideas. You keep doing the right thing, you keep being your best where you are. They don't control your destiny. They may discount you now, but a transfer is coming. There will be a day when the rolls have reversed. They have the upper hand now, but when the transfer happens, you'll be in a position of honor, influence, prestige. They won't look down on you, they'll look up to you. Instead of not giving you the time of day, they'll value your opinion.
We see these transfers all through the scripture. Egypt was the greatest superpower of that day. They had more wealth and affluence than any other country. When God delivered the Israelites out of slavery, as they were leaving Egypt, the scripture says the Egyptians gave them all their gold, silver and fine clothing. They didn't leave empty-handed, a transfer took place. These people had oppressed them for years, they had the upper hand, they forced them to work without pay in unfair conditions. While their oppressors lived comfortably, in nice homes with whatever they needed, the Israelites suffered in lack, not having enough, being mistreated. But the time came where God said, "I'm going to take from those who are not using their resources for the right purposes, and I'm going to transfer them into the hands of my people". The Israelites went into the desert loaded down with the wealth from their oppressors.
God knows how to transfer resources, transfer influence, transfer abundance. You may be in a situation that looks like you're stuck, you're at a disadvantage, you're not being treated right. My encouragement is: stay in peace, keep doing the right thing, a transfer is coming. God knows how to make it up to you. He has good brakes that will suddenly shift things in your favor. The Israelites wandered in the desert for many years, and when they finally went into the Promised Land, the scripture says they lived in houses that they didn't build, they reap from vineyards that they didn't plan. The clusters of great were so large, it took two people to carry them. They didn't have to start from scratch. They didn't have to go in there and build, plant, work their way up. It was transferred to them. God has some of these transfers in your future: houses that you didn't build, vineyards that you didn't plant. That means promotion when you weren't next in line, opportunity that you didn't see coming, blessings that chase you down. You didn't earn it, you didn't work for it, it's simply the goodness of God transferring resources, influence, favor into the hands of the righteous.
That's what happened to us with this building. For 30 years the Compaq Center was the premier facility here in Houston. Over two million people a year came through this building. The rockets won two world championships here, practically every major entertainer had played in this building: Elvis, Michael Jackson, The Rolling Stones. People tell me in the visitors reception, last time I was in the building was for ZZ Top - a little different today. But when we were looking for property to build a new auditorium, someone mentioned that we should try to get the Compaq Center. In my mind that was so far out, I couldn't fathom that being a possibility. I laughed and told them: what do you mean? That building is worth 400 million dollars, we could never afford it. My mind said there was no way, but deep down in here I could hear that still small voice saying, "Yes, Joel, it's supposed to be yours".
It was a long battle, but we ended up signing a 30-year lease with the city of Houston for 11 million dollars. That comes out to be a little over three hundred thousand dollars a year to lease this building. We do events in buildings like this across the country, they cost about three hundred thousand dollars a night. We rented this building for the same amount for the whole year. But here's how amazing God is: seven years into the lease, the mayor said the city was behind on tax revenue, and asked if we wanted to purchase the building. Well, we always wanted to own it, but the lease was the best way to get the facility at the time. I said "Yes, mayor, we love to purchase it, but it depends on how much it is". She said, "Let us run an appraisal. We'll make you a good deal".
We had a 30-year lease with an option for an additional 30 years. They had to appraise the building based on the fact that we could be in it for 60 years. The appraisal came back not at 300 million, what the building is worth, not at 100 million, not at 50, not at 25. They said, "We'll sell it to you for 7 million dollars". The land, you know, the land is worth many times that amount. What was that? A transfer. God putting resources into the hands of the righteous.
In my 20s, I had season tickets right back over there, section 104, to watch the rockets play basketball here. I never dreamed one day we would own the Compaq Center. God has these transfers in your future, that are going to boggle your mind, things you've never imagined, resources, influence, opportunity. The key is: is your heart to build the kingdom, to help others, to take your family to a new level? If it's just for me, build my ego, show off what I have, if I'm self-absorbed, that's going to limit what God will do. God is looking for kingdom builders, people that will use their resources, the influence to be a blessing, to accomplish your God-given dreams, to support that charity, to pay off that single mom's house, to leave your family better than it was before.
In the scripture Nehemiah was living in a foreign country, working as a cup bearer for the king. He had an ordinary job, on staff in the kitchen. His duty was to taste the food before it went to the king. One day his brother came to visit him, he told how the walls of Jerusalem, their home city, had been torn down, the gates were burned and how the city was unprotected, the people were in danger. The scripture says, "When Nehemiah heard this he wept, he was heartbroken". For days he mourned. He prayed and asked God to do something. God put a dream in his heart to go back and rebuild those walls. That seemed impossible. He was living a thousand miles away, he didn't have the funds, the materials, the crew, the experience. But God won't give you the vision without provision. You may not see how, looks unlikely, the odds are against you. What you can't see is there are transfers coming, things that you couldn't make happen, God will make happen.
The king asked, "Nehemiah, why he was so sad"? He said, "It's because my people are in danger, our city is unprotected, our walls are down". The king could have said, "Too bad, it's not my problem. Don't bring me your troubles". But the king said to Nehemiah, "How can I help you"? What's interesting is this king didn't worship Jehovah, he didn't believe in the God of Abraham, yet he's wanting to help Nehemiah. God will cause the right people to be good to you. Everyone that's going to help accomplish your dream may not believe like you believe, they may not be living a godly life, yet they've been positioned in your path to help you move into your destiny.
One of the main people that helped us acquire the Compaq Center was the biggest partier, he loved to drink, to curse, he liked me but he would make fun of the church. A colleague asked him to attend Lakewood with him, he said "No, I don't like going to the circus". He didn't offend me, I like the circus. My brother Paul's going to come out in the high wire in a minute. I thought to myself, "You can make fun all you want as long as you keep using your influence to move us forward". He was a big reason we got the Compaq Center. You may be surprised at who God uses to fund your dreams, to open a door, to put in a good word for you.
The king told Nehemiah that he could take time off and go back home and rebuild the walls. Now, Nehemiah was very grateful, but he said, "King I don't have any materials. I don't have any funds to buy the wood, the rocks, the mortar". The king said, "That's no problem. I'll give you a letter, requiring people to give you what you need". Nehemiah said, "That's great, but it's dangerous traveling back home. I don't know if I'll make it there safely". The king said, "Don't worry, I'll let all the governors know that you're traveling through their city. They'll watch after you". Should have taken Nehemiah years, but he rebuilt the walls in just 52 days. How could this happen? This king who didn't worship Jehovah transferred his funds, his materials, his favor, his influence.
God will put dreams in your heart that you can't accomplish on your own. Don't be intimidated, God is setting you up for a transfer. He's putting the right people in your path. People that will use their influence to thrust you ahead. You may not have the experience, the funds, the connections, but God does. You're just one transfer away from seeing that dream come to pass. One transfer and you'll pay your house off. One transfer and your business will take off. I believe many of you are close to seeing this happen. You wouldn't be hearing this if there wasn't a transfer on the way.
Now don't talk yourself out of it, "Oh, Joel, never gonna happen for me. I don't have the resources. I'm not in a prominent position. How can I do something great"? You're right where Nehemiah was. He dared to believe, he dared to go to the king, he dared to pray bold prayers. Don't be intimidated by the size of your dream. God doesn't give big dreams to small people. There is greatness in you, there are new levels in you, there's a world changer in you, there's a history maker in you. That's why God put something big in you: he knows what you're capable of. Like with Nehemiah, he has put people who will fund your dreams, people who will use their influence to open the doors, people who will go out of their way to be good to you.
It's significant that Nehemiah was weeping over what he wanted to make better. His heart was broken over the wrongs that he saw. This wasn't about him having a big position, being well known, acquiring more. His dream was tied to building the kingdom, helping people rise higher, seeing his family, his relatives back home, reach their potential. When your heart is to make a difference, when you're moved over that child you want to send to college, moved over those people you want to help, moved over those loved ones who are struggling. When your motives are right, you're not seeking the blessing, you're seeking pleasing God, your desire is to reach your potential, to make the world a better place, so you can build the kingdom, then that's when you will see these transfers, that's when God will do unusual things. God is looking for Nehemiah's, people he can entrust with influence, with favor, with resources.
I received a letter from a single parent mother. She and her family immigrated to the United States from Europe years ago. English wasn't her first language. She had three small children, and didn't know how she could ever send them to college, looked like she was at a disadvantage, in a foreign country, alone, didn't know anyone. She applied for a job for a secretary at a very prestigious university. There were dozens of people applying for the same position. The lady in charge wasn't nice at all, she was very harsh and condescending.
This mother didn't get upset, she just kept being her best. All the applicants had to take a five minute typing test. She wasn't a great typist, she started typing, doing her best, five minutes later the bell went off. She stopped typing, but the lady in charge had gotten distracted answering a phone call. She turned to the mother and said gruffly, "Keep typing, that's not your bell". It was her bell, it was right in front of her. She said, "Okay, type for another five minutes".
They added up the number of words she had typed ten minutes worth, and divided it by five, and she by far had the best typing skills, ended up getting the job. One of the benefits of working for this university is your children get to go to school for free. That was over 30 years ago, now all three of her children have graduated from this prestigious university, over seven hundred thousand dollars in education free of charge. God knows how to transfer what you need. You may be limited, but he's not limited. When people are not treating you fair, not doing what's right, don't get discouraged: they don't have the final say, God does.
What's interesting is that lady that was so condescending, not helpful, now she works for this single mother. She used to have the authority, now it was transferred to this mother. God is keeping the records. He sees who tried to stop you, who played politics and held you down, who walked away. They may have the upper hand, but your time is coming. Stay on the high road, let God fight those battles. No person, no group, no boss can stand against what God has ordained for you.
In the scripture you remember Ruth. She was out working in the fields. She was a widow at a young age. Her husband had died, and she was picking up leftover grain, barely making it. That's how she and her mother-in-law Naomi survived. Ruth had a heart after God. She could have been bitter, had a chip on her shoulder, instead she was taking care of Naomi. She would get up every morning, go find the food that they needed. Looked like she would always struggle, life had been unfair, bad break, her husband was gone, her dreams were shattered. She never dreamed she would be at this place in life.
But God sees what you've been through, he sees what wasn't fair, what you've been dealt, a tough hand. If you'll stay in faith, he'll make it up to you. You're not limited by what happened to you, what you didn't get, who wasn't there for you. You may be at a disadvantage, but God's not at a disadvantage. He controls the universe. One day the man that owned all those fields, one of the wealthiest men in that area named Boaz, he saw Ruth and fell in love. They were eventually married. Now instead of working in that field, Ruth owned the field. She never had to pick up leftover grain again. A transfer took place. Suddenly she had more than she ever dreamed.
Like Ruth, many of you have been faithful: you've done the right thing when it was hard, you didn't complain. You had a bad break, but you didn't get bitter. You've been overlooked, but you kept being your best. I believe, you're about to see a shift. God's about to transfer some things. It's going to be unusual, out of the ordinary. The right people, the Boaz's are going to notice you. New doors are going to open. Some suddenlies, promotion, opportunities, houses that you didn't build, vineyards that you didn't plan, a transfer of resources, influence, divine connections falling into your hands.
When Ruth was out in the fields, she didn't see Boaz. She didn't know who he was, but Boaz saw her. The right people are seeing you. God is arranging things in your favor, ordering your steps. Don't believe those lies that you're stuck, you're limited, you've seen others blessed, successful, good relationship, that'll never be you. No, a transfer is coming, a shift, something that catapults you to a new level.
When we acquired the Compaq Center, it wasn't just a transfer of resources, it was a transfer of influence. This one good break put us 50 years down the road in respect and credibility. Several years before we moved in here I would see certain people at our children's school events, I would politely say "Hello", but some of them wouldn't give me the time of day. They saw me come and they'd turn look the other way. They saw me as a second class. I came from that church on the other side of town. We didn't have a good location, a prestigious address, a fancy building. In their mind we were not up to par. But when we moved into the Compaq Center, it was a different story. Now people that never paid any attention to me, would come up and be so friendly. One lady, she never acknowledged me. If I walked up she acted like I didn't exist, now she was my best friend. She brought other people over, "This is Joel, he pastors a church in the Compaq Center". One day she said I want to come to your service, can you save me a seat? I said, "Sure, I can". I did, right up there by the flag... No, no I did, I say to a good seat.
God knows how to make you be seen in a different light. He's going to transfer influence, honor, prestige. You don't have to manipulate things, play up to people, try to convince them to respect you. Let God do it his way. This is what Joseph did. He was in prison, he had been betrayed by his family, sold into slavery, this lady lied about him, now he was sitting in his cell. He had no influence, no resources, no future to speak of. But one night the Pharaoh had a dream that he didn't understand. The butler remembered when he was in prison with Joseph, that Joseph could interpret dreams. He told the Pharaoh, Joseph interpreted the Pharaoh's dream, overnight he made Joseph second in command of all of Egypt. Joseph went from no influence, to the highest influence. The Pharaoh said, "Nothing will be done in this country without Joseph signing off". He went from no resources to being in charge of all the food supply of Egypt.
When his brothers and family finally came to see him, over 70 people, Joseph had a place for all of them to live, land that they could farm, an abundant life. What happened? A transfer. Don't judge where you are as where you're going to stay. God has some transfers for you: transfers of influence, transfers of resources, houses that you didn't build, promotion that you didn't work for. Now, this transfer requires obedience, honoring God, doing the right thing when it's hard. There will be seasons like with Joseph that is not fair, nothing is changing, people that don't honor God are passing you by. Don't be discouraged, your time is coming. It's going to happen suddenly, out of the ordinary, you couldn't have made it happen, it's the hand of God.
What's significant is: with all three of these people (Nehemiah, Ruth and Joseph), none of their circumstances looked like they were about to change. Joseph was sitting in prison, you're telling me he's about to be the prime minister of this powerful nation? I don't think so. Ruth was in the fields, picking up grain, you're saying she's about to own this field? I don't see how. Nehemiah was a busboy, working in the kitchen. You mean he's going to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem? I think you have the wrong person. Now, when you look at your situation, everything may say "There's no way you'll accomplish your dream. No way you'll own your company. No way you'll get out of this problem. No way you'll meet the right person". You're right where they were. The good news is: one transfer, one shift and you'll have resources, influence, opportunity that you've never seen.
Don't talk yourself out of it. Don't live with a scarcity mentality. You have to give God permission to bless you. Quit believing those lies that you don't deserve it, you come from the wrong family, you're not that talented, you've reached your limits. God needs you to build his kingdom. He's counting on you to make the world a better place. He's destined you to take your family where they've never been. He wants to entrust you with resources, influence, that you've never imagined. Be faithful where you are. Honor God with what you have. He's looking for Joseph's, people that keep doing the right thing when it's hard. He's looking for Nehemiah's, people that have a passion to build his kingdom. He's looking for Ruth, people that don't let bad breaks cause them to live better.
I believe that's you. Because you've been faithful, because you have the right motives, God is about to show out in your life. Others that haven't honored God, seems like they've passed you up, they've gotten good breaks, gone further, there's about to be a shift. God is going to put resources into the hands of the righteous, influence is going to shift. You were in the background, now you're in the foreground. You were struggling to get by, now you have abundance. You thought you'd reached your limits, but suddenly your thrust to a new level. I believe and declare: a transfer is coming for you. Like Nehemiah, you're going to accomplish dreams bigger than you thought possible. Like Joseph, you're going to handle resources you've never imagined. Like Ruth, you're going to go from working in the field to owning the field, in Jesus name. If you receive it, can you say amen today? Amen.