Joel Osteen - Daily Renewal
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I want to talk to you today about Daily Renewal. We all have to deal with stress from everyday life, and pressures at work, and raising our children, people do us wrong, we make mistakes. There are plenty of opportunities to get discouraged, live offended, be jealous. These things are like toxins that contaminate our mind, cloud our vision, take our joy. We can’t stop them from coming, but we don’t have to allow them to stay. And every morning you need to do a cleansing, where you release any worry, you forgive the people that did you wrong, you come back to a place of peace, knowing that God is in control. You start the day in faith, believing that he has good things in store, grateful that you’re alive. That’s getting rid of all the toxins, the things that will contaminate your life. It needs to be a daily renewal.
If you allow the discouragement to stay, the offense, «They did me wrong» or the insecurity, «I’m not good enough», you’re dwelling on that day after day, it’s going to become a stronghold, it’ll sour your attitude, make you critical, you don’t have the creativity. It’s because these toxins are poisoning your life. You need to develop this process of release, a habit where you daily forgive, daily let go of hurts, daily renew your mind, remind yourself who God says you are. Daily grateful, thanking God for what he’s done. When you have this daily cleansing, things can’t build up. Sure they’re going to come, but you don’t let them stay.
The scripture (lamentation 3:22) says, «God’s mercies are new every morning». Not once a month, not every year. Every morning there’s fresh mercy waiting for you, but you have to receive it. David said (Psalm 5:3) «Each day I take my request to God and wait expectantly». He was saying, «I get up every morning, I go to God with my concerns, and then I wait in faith, believing that he’s working in my life». He didn’t let the doubt build up, «God, why am I stuck in these shepherd’s fields? I have no future here». Discouragement came to him, «God, why is Saul chasing me? I haven’t done anything wrong». Offense came. But David understood this principle: every morning he had to go through a cleansing: release the offense, release the discouragement. That’s what kept him from being contaminated, getting bitter and giving up on dreams. It was a daily renewal.
The Psalmist said «Joy comes in the morning». During the day doubt may come, worry may come, tough day at the office, the medical report hasn’t improved. Those toxic thoughts bring fear, worry. Our spirit can become heavy, our mind contaminated. Now, you have the grace to handle what comes each day, but you don’t have the grace to carry that burden into the next day, and the next. Joy is there in the morning, but it won’t do you any good if you’re holding on to the negative. You have to go through this cleansing, where you release all that’s bothering you. Release the lies that are telling you it’s never going to change, release the worry, the offense, the guilt. Joy is there, God hand delivered it, but you have to receive it. When you wake up, «Father, thank you for this day. Thank you for giving me breath to breathe. Thank you that your plans for me are for good. I know this is the day you have made, I’m going to choose to rejoice, I’m going to live this day happy».
See, Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:16, «Even though the outward man is perishing, the inner man is being renewed day by day». Notice, not month by month, daily there needs to be a renewal. I wonder how many of us are carrying things that are contaminating us, souring our attitude, straining relationships, guilt, shame that we don’t have to carry. How much freer would you live, how much happier would you be, more creative, more productive, if you would start this daily cleansing, releasing all the toxins, starting the day positive, hopeful, grateful, in peace?
That’s how you’re going to reach your highest potential. Not trying to pray away all the difficult people, «God, don’t let them offend me again. God, you got to improve this situation, I’m going to get discouraged. God, I have to have this contract at work». Those things may not happen the way we would like, there may be some frustration, worry, offense that comes, but that’s okay. In the morning, «God, I release it all out of my spirit. I come back to a place of peace. I know you’re ordering my steps. God, I trust you». That’s a cleansing. You just washed out those toxins, put on a fresh new attitude. You came back to the right perspective.
I read an article about how the body naturally renews itself. A leading experts said: one of the reasons we sleep is to cleanse the brain. When we’re asleep, there are fluids flowing over our brain that flushes out the waste that was accumulated during the day. And it’s critical that these toxins are washed out, if not they can build up and contribute to Alzheimer and all kinds of diseases. It’s significant that the body does this while we sleep, automatically happens, we don’t have to do anything. God created the brain to be renewed and refreshed every night. That happens physically, but mentally God expects us to do it. Your mind, your thoughts, your attitudes, it’s not going to renew on its own. God said «Day by day you need to renew it. If not, just like the physical, these toxins are going to build up and cause us harm».
And sometimes we wonder: why we don’t have the joy we used to have? Or why are we’re so tired, or critical, jealous, insecure? It’s not that we’re a bad person, something’s wrong with us, we’re just not doing this cleansing. All these things that were supposed to be there 24 hours or less, we’ve let them stay the next day, and the next, then a week, then a month, now it’s clouded our vision. We go around worried, upset, trying to pay people back, thinking that our dream is impossible. That would all change if we’d get in this habit of a daily renewal, daily releasing the worries, daily forgiving wrongs, daily being grateful, thanking God for who he is.
See, David said «Early in the morning my song of praise rises to you». David had all these things coming against him. You remember as a teenager, his father didn’t believe in him enough to call him in from the shepherd’s fields, when Samuel came to choose one of the sons as the next king. He thought, «David? He’s too small. He’s not king material. He’ll never do anything great». David felt the sting of rejection, being looked down on. When he took lunch to his brothers, they were in another city in the army, instead of being grateful, his older brother made fun of him. Said in front of all the soldiers, «What are you doing here, David? And what did you do with those few sheep you’re supposed to be taken care of»? He belittled him, tried to make him feel small.
Even when David wanted to fight Goliath, king Saul said «David you’re just a boy. You don’t have a chance». During the day all these toxins came against David, things the enemy desired to try to contaminate his life. Every morning David went through a cleansing. He didn’t wait a week, and stew over what his brother said, be angry for a month with his father, offended at king Saul for a year, «God, why did this happened»? No, he had this habit of daily renewal. When he woke up, releasing the hurt, releasing the doubt, the discouragement. He got his mind in an attitude of faith.
And yes, he had a good reason to be polluted, but instead of letting those toxins stay, he was writing some of the great Psalms that we quote today. «This is the day the Lord has made», David’s the one that wrote that Psalm. He could have doubted, give up on his dream, instead he got up each morning, wrote another Psalm, «Though I am surrounded by trouble, God, you will bring me safely through».
When he made mistakes, he had an affair, got off course, he could have lived guilty, in shame, faded off into the sunset. I can imagine every morning the accuser came, «David, you’re finished, you blew it. Look what you’ve done. You can’t expect God to bless you». All these toxins so strong, so powerful, trying to stop his destiny. But David said in Psalm 51, «Create in me a clean heart, oh God. Renew a right spirit within me. Cleanse me from my shame. Wash me from my iniquity». Notice his words «Renew me. Cleanse me. Wash me». Yes, he was guilty, he didn’t deserve it, but he knew that God’s mercy is new every morning. He received the renewal.
And sure we’ve all made mistakes, we’ve all done things that could limit our destiny. Instead of doing like David, often we act like God’s mercy is new every decade, «Maybe in 10 years I’ll forgive myself, Joel. If you knew what I’d done, maybe then I’ll feel better about who I am». Some people act like his mercy is new every century, «Joe, I miss my chance. It’s too late for me». Can I give you some good news? His mercy is new every morning. You can have a new beginning each day. You can start afresh and anew right now.
The scripture (Ephesians 4:24) says to «Put on the new man». You have to put on a new attitude, put on a fresh perspective, put on a better way of thinking. It’s not going to come to you necessarily, there’s something you have to do. I had to put this coat on today, it was in my closet. It didn’t come find me, «Hey, Joel, wear me. I look good». It would have hung on that shelf for years, unless I went to it and deliberately put it on. Sometimes we’re waiting for mercy to come to us, waiting for confidence, waiting for a good mood. I know people who are waiting to feel forgiveness, then they’ll forgive the person that hurt them. Do yourself a favor: don’t wait any longer, put on the new man. The mercy is available, get it off the shelf. The joy is there comes every morning, it’s waiting for you when you wake up. Or the forgiveness to release the hurt is there. Now, do your part and start putting it on a daily renewal.
Paul said in Ephesians 6:11 to «Put on the armor of God». You have to get dressed each morning. Put on the breastplate of God’s approval, knowing that God is pleased with you, that he’s proud of you, that you’re the apple of his eye. Put on the helmet of salvation, knowing that you’re forgiven, your name is written in the lamb’s book of life. That heaven is your home. That Jesus has gone ahead of you, and already prepared a place for you, it’s awaiting your arrival. Put on that shield of faith, every morning «Father, thank you that you are fighting my battles. That no weapon formed against me will prosper. That I’m well able to do what you’ve called me to do». How about putting on the shoes of peace? «I’m going to stay calm, cool, and collected, no matter what comes my way today».
It makes a difference how you start the day. Don’t start at negative, defeated, «I don’t want to go to work. I can’t stand my boss. These kids get on my nerves. My back’s still hurting». That’s going to draw in negativity, defeat, it’s going to drain your energy, lessen your creativity. Try a different approach, «Lord, I thank you that this is going to be a great day. You said goodness and mercy are following me, that your blessings will chase me down. Lord, I think it’s going to be a blessed, productive, favor filled day». You know what that’s going to draw in? Good breaks, favor, divine connections.
See, Paul said in Philippians 4:8, «Think on things that are wholesome, things that are pure, things that are of a good report». You get to choose what you’re going to think on. You can think on things that discourage you, how big your problems are. Things that make you feel unworthy, times you blew it. Things that upset you, make you bitter, what that family member said, that coworker that took your credit. Those are all toxins that are going to contaminate your life. Maybe you’ve been through hurts, bad breaks, every morning thoughts will come saying, «Look what they did to you. It’s not fair, they ruined your life». You have the choice: you can dwell on it, think about how wrong it was. That’s going to bring bitterness, self-pity, it’s going to make you critical and unfriendly. You have to get those to toxins out.
Ephesians 5:26 says God «Cleanses us by the washing of water with his word». Just like that water washes the brain each night, removes the waste and keeps the brain healthy, God’s word will wash your mind and cleanse it from the toxins, the doubt, the worry. One of the best ways to have this daily renewal is by declaring what God says about you. When you speak his promises over your life, over your family, your health, your finances, that’s washing away those contaminants. Instead of dwelling on all the hurts, negative things that have happened, the way to keep that bitterness from staying, «Father, thank you that you have beauty for these ashes. Lord, you said you’d pay me back double for the unfair things. Father, you said what was meant for harm you’re turning to my advantage». When you speak God’s word, a cleansing is taking place. It’s washing away what’s trying to pollute you.
See, water has cleansing power. Just like in the natural, when you’ve been out all day, going to work, running errands, exercising, sweating, you get dirty. What if you said, «I’m not going to shower for a few weeks, I’ll probably be all right», you wouldn’t have any friends. Your family wouldn’t want to be around you. You smell bad, you look bad. That’s why most people take a shower, a bath every day or so. You have to wash off what the day put on you. It’s the same principle with our thinking. During the day you’re going to get dirty, stress, cranky co-workers, traffic, contract didn’t go through. You have to wash off the doubt, the worry, the offense. The way you wash it is not with physical water, but with the water of God’s word. You declare what he says about you. That’s what cleanses you from the toxins, takes away the dirt, the shame, the discouragement.
«Joel, I did that back in 2008», that’s why nobody wants to be around you. That’s why people stink, get bitter, sarcastic. They haven’t washed away these toxins. «Well, Joel, once a month I try to have a quiet time, try to have a better attitude». If you took a shower once a month, you wouldn’t like yourself. If you never wash the dirt off your mind, you’re not going to like yourself. This needs to be a daily renewal. When you get out of bed, in your thoughts, «God, I’m grateful to be alive today. I recognize you chose me before I could choose you, thinking that I’m strong, healthy, favored, anointed». That’s washing away toxins.
When those thoughts tell you, «You’re never going to get well, you saw the medical report». No, you have the cleanser, you know how to wash the doubt away. «Father, thank you that you’re restoring health back into me. That the number of my days you will fulfill». You just washed away that dirt. Well, thoughts will whisper, «You’ll never accomplish your dreams. You don’t have the finances. Everyone in your family struggles». If you let that negative stay, the toxins are going to build up, and create a stronghold that keeps you from rising higher. You take a shower every day, how about showering your mind every day? Use the water of God’s word, «Father, you said I would lend and not borrow. That what I touch will prosper and succeed. That I live under the open windows of heaven. Blessings that I cannot contain». That changes your whole perspective from a not-going-to-make-it mentality, to an abundant mentality.
I talked to a man that was so down on himself. He had been very successful, but he’d gone through a breakup, and had some setbacks in his business. He lost his passion, and didn’t feel valuable, like he deserved to be blessed. He told me how he is just surviving, trying to make it through. The enemy loves to try to steal our value, our sense of worth, but nothing that’s happened to you has changed who you are. No mistake you’ve made, or how someone else has treated you, you are still a child of the Most High God. He created you in his own image. What people did, what they say, how they tried to make you feel does not lessen your value. They didn’t create you, they don’t control your worth — God does.
This is why it’s so important to develop this habit of a daily renewal, daily reminding yourself who you are. If you don’t tell yourself who you are, the enemy will tell you. «Not worthy, not good enough, you’re not attractive, you don’t have a good personality». You have to get those toxins out. Every morning, «Father, I want to thank you that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. That I am a masterpiece. That I have royal blood flowing through my veins. That you have crowned me with your favor». Every time you say that, it’s washing away the insecurity, the lies that are keeping you from becoming a masterpiece. Now, nobody can do this for you, only you can renew your mind. You have to put on that new man, the valuable, attractive, talented, smart, victorious you. That’s who God need you to be.
But David had to fight these feelings of not feeling valuable, too small, not important. Thoughts whispered to him, «You’re not up to par. You’re at a disadvantage. You don’t have what your brothers have». That could have stopped his destiny, but listen to what David wrote in Psalm 139. It almost sounds arrogant, but when you realize what he was dealing with, it makes sense. He was washing away the low self-esteem, and washing off negative words people had spoken over him. He said, «God, you have made me in an amazing way. What you have done is wonderful. I know this very well». In the midst of all the negative chatter, thoughts telling him what he wasn’t, he said «God, I praise you because you’ve made me amazing. What you’ve done is wonderful». He wasn’t bragging on himself, he was bragging on what God had done.
When those lies come trying to devalue you, make you feel like you’re not attractive, not up to par, instead of letting that dirt cloud your life, you need to do like David: get the water of God’s word and wash it off. «Father, I thank you that you have made me too amazing. That I am a masterpiece, worthy, valuable, talented, a prized possession». That’s cleansing the inferiority, washing away the not-valuable lives.
See, when we get up in the morning we all take time to get dressed and ready for the day, got to brush our teeth, and pick out some clothes, eat some breakfast. We may spend a half hour getting our physical person ready, but do we spend any time getting our inner person ready? It has to be renewed day by day, not month by month. There should be a time every morning where we cleanse ourselves from toxins, where we put on this fresh new attitude. Instead of just rushing out of the house, «Man, I got to get to work», or go into the TV, the phone, the computer, take a few minutes to thank God for what he’s done in your life, and to remind yourself who you are, to clear out any negativity, to release any worry.
Don’t carry it into another day, turn it over to God. Cleanse your mind from the doubt, thoughts telling you that it’s never going to meet the right person, never get well, never break the addiction. Don’t let those toxins stay. They will build up and keep you from your destiny. You know this secret: wash it away with the water of God’s word, «Father, thank you that a divine connection is coming. You said no good thing would you withhold, because I walk uprightly».
Whatever is trying to cloud your vision, bring doubt, find a scripture that you can stand on and stand firm. Not every once in a while, but all through the day thanking God that he’s working, thanking him that he’ll do what he promised. See, your mind is going to be busy with something: don’t let the negative take control, you take control and fill it with faith, with hope, with victory.
When Moses sent 12 men to spy out the Promised Land, 10 came back and said, «Moses, we don’t have a chance. The people are huge. We felt like grasshoppers compared to them». These people had seen God delivered them out of slavery, sent plagues on their oppressors. They were right next door, but it didn’t harm them, was supernatural. They had seen the Red Sea part, they saw manna in the desert, food out of nowhere, water coming out of a rock. You would think they’d be full of faith, bold, knowing that God was on their side, but this is what happens when we don’t wash out the toxins, we allow the negative thoughts to stay. They build up and distort who we are, convince us to shrink back and think «My problem is too big».
These people never did make it into the Promised Land. This would have all been different if they had learned to do a daily cleansing, reminded themselves who they were, and put on that new man. There may be things that have built up in your mind, telling you «The giants are too big. You can’t accomplish a dream, you can’t get well». Those stronghold have been there long enough. This is your time to be free. The good news is: you have the solution, you can wash that off with the water of God’s word.
Start doing a daily cleansing. Every morning release the negative, release the worry, come back to that place of peace, knowing that God has you in the palm of his hand. He has not brought you this far to leave you. The enemy is whispering those lies to try to deceive you into missing your Promised Land. Now, wash those toxins away by declaring what God says about about you: you are strong, talented, and well able. If you’ll get in this habit of a daily renewal, I believe and declare: strongholds that have held you back are coming down right now. You’re about to step into greater joy, peace, negative situations turning around, new doors opening, the right people showing up, the fullness of your destiny, in Jesus name. And if you receive it, can you say amen?