Joel Osteen - Progress Under Pressure
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I want to talk to you today about Progress Under Pressure. We all have times when we feel pressure. We're dealing with a health issue, or people have done us wrong, a door closed in our dream. There's pressure that comes from raising children, pressure to pay bills, pressure from a conflict at work. If we don't handle it the right way, pressure will cause us to get stuck, live worried, feeling overwhelmed. But if you're going to reach your destiny, you have to learn learn how to make progress under pressure, to keep moving forward despite opposition, despite uncertainty and despite being misunderstood.
You can't control everything that happens on the outside: traffic, a cranky coworker, a health issue. But you can control what happens in you. And often we think, "Once I get through this tough season, then I'll get my joy back. Once these people quit talking about me or my boss gives me credit, when I get out from under this pressure, then I'll have a good attitude". But if you're waiting for the pressure to subside, you're going to be waiting your whole life. The enemy would love for us to become paralyzed by the pressure. We're so focused on what's come against us, we put everything on hold, waiting for the pressure to go away, then we'll move forward. But the pressure is a sign that something amazing is coming.
You wouldn't be facing pressure if you didn't have something significant in you. This is not the time to get discouraged, shrink back. This is the time to say, "I've come too far to stop now. This may be difficult, but I know I'm armed with strength for this battle. Greater is he that's in me, than what's coming against me". You can not only handle the pressure, but you can thrive in that pressure. God gives you grace for every season. The more pressure, the more strength you'll have. The more difficult, the more determination. The more adversity, the more favor. You can turn that pressure into power. Pressure is what turns a black piece of coal into a diamond. If you'll have the right attitude, instead of stopping you, that pressure will propel you.
But it's not enough to just endure it, "All right, Joel, I'll try to withstand it", being in a defensive mode, weak and worried. No, stand strong! Put your shoulders back! Keep shining despite the trouble! Keep taking steps of faith despite the naysayers! Keep believing despite the doubt! When you can make progress under pressure, you can't be stopped. See, God is not only using the pressure to refine you, to develop your character, but that pressure is leading to your purpose. You can't reach your potential without pressure. Airplanes take off against the wind. You would think they'd want the wind blowing with them to make it easier, but to lift off they need resistance. It takes pressure coming under those wings to give the plain lift. None of us like pressure, but pressure is necessary. You need resistance to rise higher and soar to the levels God is destined for you.
Are you letting pressure paralyze you, cause you to shrink back, live worried? Or you letting that pressure propel you, getting up each morning knowing that you are well able, that you can handle anything that comes your way? If the pressure was too much, God wouldn't have allowed it. The fact that you have big pressure, that tells me you're a big person. God doesn't give big assignments to small people. You have great opposition, then you have a great destiny. Now, do your part and keep making progress under pressure. Doing the right thing when you don't feel like it, being your best when you're not getting the credit, having a good attitude when you could be complaining. You feel that pressure, instead of letting it weaken you, turn it into power, "Lord, I thank you that I'm strong, I'm anointed, I'm equipped. That you being for me is more than what's trying to stop me".
Nobody face more pressure than the apostle Paul. He used to be called Saul. He was the greatest enemy of the church, constantly threatening believers, having them arrested and put in jail. But on the road to Damascus he was suddenly converted and became a follower of Christ. The problem was, none of the believers would accept him. They weren't sure that he had really changed. For 14 years they wouldn't have anything to do with him. He was misunderstood and judged by his past. But instead of living frustrated, waiting for people to accept him, he went out to the non-Jewish people, the gentiles, and shared the message of Christ year after year with no support from the disciples, nobody believing in him. You may be where Paul was: misunderstood by people. They don't give you the credit, look down on you. You could easily slack off, live bitter. Do like Paul: keep shining despite who is not for you, keep being your best despite who doesn't give you the credit. You're not working under people, you're working under God. He's keeping the records. You don't need their approval, you have Almighty God's approval.
Acts 21, Paul was in the temple sharing his faith, and these people got upset and started stirring up trouble, falsely accusing him, saying that he was trying to start a riot. All these lies and rumors, and before long long this angry mob started attacking Paul and beating him. And they dragged him out of the temple, were about to kill him. Another time Paul was put in prison for sharing his faith, the deepest dungeon, his hands and feet in chains. Imagine the pressure he was under. He could have been overwhelmed, "This is too much, this is not fair", but at midnight sitting in that dungeon he wasn't complaining, he wasn't bitter, he was singing praises to God, thanking him for his goodness.
What you do in your times of pressure will determine whether you get stuck there or you see God show up and do what you can't do. When you have a song of praise, you're declaring his greatness, thanking him for what he's promised, that pressure will turn into power, you will overcome what should stop you, you'll defeat giants that were much bigger, outlast opposition much greater. While Paul was singing praises at midnight, there was a great earthquake. The prison doors flung open, the chains came off his feet, he walked out a free man. But sitting in that prison could have been the end of Paul's story. The pressure got to him, couldn't handle it. Well, Paul had this never-give-up mentality. He knew God wouldn't have let him get in that pressure if he couldn't handle it.
We can all have a good attitude when things are going our way, people are for us, the family's healthy, business is prospering, that's no problem. The real test is: what do you do when pressure comes? How do you respond when people do you wrong, the medical report wasn't good, set back in your business? How you deal with pressure will either cause you to shrink back and be overwhelmed, or you can do like Paul all and keep singing praises in the prison, keep doing the right thing despite being misunderstood, keep taking those steps of faith despite the opposition.
See, I'd love to tell you the pressure is going to go away, then you can take new ground. But the fact is: before you see new levels of your destiny, there will be new levels of pressure, forces trying to convince you that it's too much, you can't accomplish your dream, you're not going to get well, just settle where you are. No, keep pressing forward, keep declaring the promises, keep thanking God that he's working. The pressure is a sign that something amazing is in front of you.
When my father went to be with the Lord, that was the biggest challenge I had ever faced. I knew I was supposed to pastor the church, but all these thoughts told me, "Joel, you're not qualified, you don't have the experience, nobody's going to listen to you". I could have become paralyzed by the pressure, shrunk back, played it safe. But I took that step of faith. I discovered that God will never let you face pressure that you can't handle. It may feel like it's too much, but by faith you have to take hold of his strength. When I did, I felt a power, an anointing, a favor to do what I had never done. The truth is: the pressure didn't go away, but God sustained me in the pressure.
Those lies will come, "It's too much. You can't handle it, it's over your head". That's the enemy doing what he does best, trying to use the pressure to intimidate, overcome to where you shrink back and miss your destiny. Do like Paul: be bold, be determined and move forward under pressure. And that's what I've had to do. I've seen God's favor, but it hasn't come without pressure. It was pressure when my mother was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer. Felt overwhelming, no way out. We could have given up and succumb to the negative report, but we chose to believe another report, that God was restoring health back into her. We believe despite the doubt that was bombarding our mind. When you can make progress under pressure, that's when God can do miracles.
There was pressure when that property was sold out from under us, and we couldn't build a new auditorium. There was pressure when we were one council member short for the Compaq Center vote. There was pressure when a company filed a lawsuit to try to keep us from moving in. There was pressure when I married Victoria... I mean not that one. There was pressure when we had to raise funds to renovate this place, $100 million. There was pressure dealing with the critics and naysayers. What am I saying? If you run from the pressure, you're going to run from your destiny. If you let the stress, and worry, and can't-do-it thoughts overwhelm you, then you'll shrink back and miss the greatness that God put in you. You have to do it afraid. Go forward when thoughts are telling you, "There's no way. It's too much. It's never going to change". Those are all lies to keep you from your purpose.
And this is what happened with the Israelites. They wandered in the desert for 40 years because they didn't handle pressure the right way. They complained, "It's too hot. What are we going to eat out here? Moses, why did you bring us in the desert to die"? Yes, there was pressure. Yes, it seemed overwhelming, but they had seen God part the Red Sea, they had seen him drown their enemies, give them manna each morning for breakfast and bring water out of a rock. They saw God protect, provide and make ways, but they had a short memory. They gave into doubt, fear and intimidation.
When you feel that pressure, thoughts telling, "It's never going to work out, shrink back, live defeated", you need to look back and see what God has done in your life. Look at the times you were outnumbered, but he made a way. You should have been harmed, but he kept that car from hitting you. He opened doors you couldn't open. He kept your child out of trouble. He has not brought you this far to leave you. That pressure is a sign that a new level of your destiny is coming. Now, do your part and keep making progress under pressure. Don't wait for it to go away, face that pressure with faith, "God, this may be too much for me, but I know it's not too much for you. There's nothing that can stop what you purpose for my life". Get your mind going in the right direction. If you think weak thoughts, you're going to have a weak life. If you think defeated thoughts, can't-do-it, then that pressure is going to overwhelm you. Think victory thoughts, think well-able thoughts, think more-than-conqueror thoughts.
What's interesting is the children of the Israelites, the ones that wandered in the desert, they had children out there. When they grew up, they had a different mindset than their parents. They face the same pressure, same giant, same opposition but their attitude was, "We are well able". Their parents came to the Promised Land, said "The giants are too big". These children said, "We will defeat them, they're no match for us". The parents saw the walls of Jericho year after year, "Man, we'll never get around them". These children said, "These walls can come down. God has promised us that land". Don't let the pressure keep you out of your Promised Land. Yes, there will be giants, Red Seas, chariots chasing you. There will be times you don't think you have the provision, the experience, the talent. All these pressure points where you could shrink back and feel overwhelmed, that's when faith has to kick in. You can turn that pressure into power.
This is what David did. He looked at Goliath and said (1 Samuel 17:46), "This day I will defeat you and feed your head to the birds of the air". You can imagine the incredible pressure he felt. Goliath was twice his size. King Saul said, "David, you're just a boy". All he had was a slingshot. Every thought said, "You don't have a chance, you're going to get hurt". Despite the pressure, David ran toward Goliath, slung that rock, defeated what everyone told him was impossible. If you'll move forward despite the pressure, you're going to see some giants come down. God's going to do things that make you an example of his goodness, where other people can see his favor on your life. Goliath was this huge enemy, but really he was a huge platform. God used Goliath to display his favor on David. What looks like a big problem, is really a big platform. That big challenge is really a big stage God is getting ready to show out in your life. He's going to use that obstacle to establish you, give new levels of influence, favor and respect.
See, king Saul disrespected David, said, "You're just a boy", saw him as inferior. But when he defeated Goliath, Saul said, "Why don't you come work for me? Why don't you come lead my army"? People may call you a boy now, but don't worry, when God shows up, they'll call you boss, they'll call you giant killer, they'll call you history maker, they'll call you a mighty hero. Now, don't let the pressure talk you out of what God put in your heart. Sure at times you're going to feel overwhelmed, intimidated, outnumbered - you're right where you're supposed to be. That's where Paul was, sitting in prison, falsely accused, in chains, all this pressure. What did he do? Sing praises, "God, I know you're still on the throne. I know you're fighting my battles".
That's what causes the Most High God to go to work. Not when we be welt with pressure, live overwhelmed, "Joel, I got these people at work, they're against me. Dealing with this bad medical report. Had a set back in my finance, I don't see how it can work out". When you're under pressure, it's very important what you're saying. Don't go around talking about how big the giant is, "I don't see how I can get past this illness, and I'm so in debt, we'll never get ahead, there's not a chance". That's not only weakening your faith, but you're inviting the negative. David said, "Magnify the Lord with me". He didn't say, "Magnify the problem, talk about the bad brake, call your friends and discuss who hurt you", that's magnifying the wrong thing.
I heard about this man. He saw a guy over on the ledge of a bridge about to jump. He was so distraught and so despondent, and this man ran over as fast as he could and said "Please, please, don't jump, don't jump, it's going to be okay, just take tell me your problems". He sat down next to the man, he began to tell his problems. And he went on, and on, and on. Two hours later they both jumped. But when we're under pressure it's easy to magnify the problem, make it bigger in our mind, blow it out of proportion. Try a better approach: magnify our God, "Lord, I thank you that you created the universe. You flung stars into space. And father, you have me in the palm of your hand. I know your plans for me are for good, that you've ordered my steps, that you will get me to where I'm supposed to be". As you keep magnifying God, you're going to see him do what only he can do.
The apostle Paul was on a ship, headed toward Rome. And God told him he would stand before Caesar, but there was this huge storm. And for 14 days they didn't see the sun nor the stars. All this pressure, the boat rocking and reeling, thoughts whispering, "You're not going to make, it this looks so bad". In the midst of that pressure I can hear Paul say in some of the scriptures that he would later write, "Thanks be to God who always causes me to triumph. All things are working for good because I love you, Lord. Father, thank you that what you started you will finish in my life". No defeat, no intimidation, but a victorious attitude.
Well, the boat ran a ground and broke apart, and now Paul found himself in the water, shipwrecked, trying to survive and swimming to the shore. Finally made it to the land, so relieved. And he went down to pick up a stick to make a fire, a poisonous snake bit his arm. Most of us would think, "Man, how could it get any worse"? He started off rejected, misunderstood, beaten by a mob, put in prison, shipwrecked, now bitten by this snake. You know what Paul did? He shook it off. He didn't pay any attention to the snake. He had seen God's faithfulness so many times, his attitude was, "Snake? You can't stop me. You may think you're poisonous, but no weapon formed against me will prosper. My God has the final say".
When you're under pressure, sometimes the best thing you can do is just shake it off. Shake off the doubt, shake off the worry, shake off what they said. Like Paul, you look back over your life, and you can see the faithfulness of God. You know he has not brought you this far to leave you, that the enemy wouldn't be trying to poison you if you didn't have something amazing in your future.
Paul made it to Rome, and he was put in prison, and now he was an old man, looked like he was finished. Surely now he'd be discouraged, have a sad song. No, his attitude was, "You may have taken my freedom, but you have not taken my pen. These walls may keep me from coming out, but they cannot keep what I'm writing from going out". Paul wrote many of the books in the New Testament in prison, under pressure. Not in a good environment, people against him. That's where he wrote, "I can do all things through Christ. I am more than a conqueror", in a prison cell. He could have been writing, "God, where are you? I didn't think it end like this". No, he's speaking victory, fulfilling his purpose, still making progress under pressure.
He summed it up in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9. He wrote, "We are pressed on every side by trouble, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don't give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down but we get back up again and keep going". That's how you handle pressure. You may be where Paul was: pressed on every side, a lot coming against you today, perplexed, not sure what to do, hunted down, forces trying to stop you. That's the problem, but always follow it up with the promise: you are not crushed and broken, God is fighting for you. You don't give up and quit, you have can-do power. You are not abandoned, God never leaves you, he's the fourth man in the fire.
Yes, we get knocked down, but we get back up and keep going. And I'm not telling you today that you're not going to have pressure, but I am telling you: it doesn't have to stop you. You have the most powerful force in the universe on your side. That pressure is a sign that you're headed toward the great things God has for you. Make sure you're magnifying the right thing. Not the problem, not the betrayal, not the sickness, magnify your God, the great I am am, Jehovah rafa the Lord our healer. El Shaddai, the God who is more than enough.
Paul went on to say (2 Corinthians 4:17-18), "These light afflictions are temporary. These momentary troubles are achieving in us an eternal weight of glory". You can get to the point where like Paul, whatever comes against you is light, you're not moved by the pressure, the trouble doesn't discourage you, the naysayers don't offend you, the bad report doesn't take your joy, the giant doesn't scare you. You see it as a light affliction. You know that you and God are a majority. That he wouldn't have allowed it if you couldn't handle it.
When Jesus was about to be crucified, he went to the Garden of Gethsemane one night to pray. Gethsemane means the place of pressing, it's where they pressed olives and made olive oil. Jesus was under so much pressure, that his sweat drops of blood. His capillaries burst, and the blood flowed. He asked his disciples to stay up and pray for him, but they fell asleep. And he was in so much agony, that he fell down he said, "Father, if you can, take this cup from me. But not my will, let your will be done". At that point angels came and strengthened him.
Got up and he told his disciples that they could continue to sleep, but he was going to go and fulfill his destiny. His greatest place of pressure is what gave birth to his greatest power. He was then crucified and rose from the dead. We don't like the pressure, but that's what gives birth to power. If you'll handle the pressure the right way, you'll come out with something you would have never had without the trouble, without the adversity: greater power, greater favor, opportunity that you've never seen.
And it's interesting that the disciples fell asleep. Jesus asked for their help, he wanted their support, their encouragement, but when he needed them the most they let him down. There are some battles that you have to fight alone. People that you were counting on won't be there, friends not available, co-workers busy. This is between just you and God. If you'll dig down deep and say, "God, this is difficult. I'm sweating, I don't see how, but I believe that you have a way. I know you're fighting my battles, and that you'll get me to where I'm supposed to be". That's when the angels will come, you'll feel a supernatural strength to keep moving forward. You'll see God do what only he can do.
How are you handling pressure? Are you letting it overwhelm you, take your joy, cause you to shrink back? Try a new approach: turn that pressure into power, keep making progress despite what's coming against you, doing the right thing when it's hard taking steps of faith. The reason that pressure is great is because great favor is coming, great healing is coming, great opportunity. Don't run from the pressure, you can handle it. God wouldn't have allowed it if you weren't well able. Like Paul, you may feel pressure on every side, I believe and declare: you will not be crushed, you will not be broken, you will not be shaken. Things are about to shift in your favor. Supernatural strength, doors opening, breakthroughs, healing, the fullness of your destiny, in Jesus name. And if you receive it, can you say amen?