Joel Osteen - Supersized (09/06/2019)
Joel Osteen shares how God wants to «supersize» our lives, doing exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think according to Ephesians 3:20, far beyond our own dreams. Through stories like the crippled man healed by Peter, Ruth’s rise from poverty to abundance, and modern examples, he shows that God exceeds expectations with overflow blessings when we believe and honor Him.
God’s Dream Is to Supersize Your Life
I wanna talk to you about «Supersized.» A few years ago I went to a fast food restaurant with our children, and we pulled into the drive-thru and placed our order. Just when I was about to pull up to the main window where you pay, the young lady said, «Would you like to supersize that?» I didn’t know what that meant. I asked her about it. She said, «That means you’ll get more French fries, a larger drink, a bigger hamburger. Instead of the normal portions, it will be supersized, bigger than expected.»
That’s what God wants to do for you. His dream for your life is much bigger than your own. He’s going to take you further than you’re expecting. He’s going to open doors that you could never open. He’s going to give you more influence than you thought possible.
Paul said in Ephesians 3, «God will do exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think.» He’s saying in today’s language, «God is going to supersize your life.» Whatever you’re dreaming about, whatever you’re believing for, God’s going to take that and make it bigger, better, more rewarding than you’ve ever imagined.
Maybe your dream is to get out of debt, to be able to pay your house off. That’s good, but God is going to supersize it. He’s going to bless you in such a way that you can not only pay off your house, but you can help other people pay off their house, where you don’t just have enough for yourself, you have an abundance so you can be a blessing to somebody else.
That’s what happens when God supersizes. Your prayer may be for your son to get back on course. He’s running with the wrong crowd and making decisions that are not good. You’d be happy if he just got back to where he was. But when God supersizes it, He’s not only going to bring him back to the right course, He’s going to use him to help other people in that same situation. You’re going to be amazed at the difference that your son will make.
Or maybe you’re single. Your dream is to meet the right person. You have this specific criteria that you’re looking for, these qualifications that you would be happy with. But when God supersizes it, He’s going to bring you somebody better than you’ve imagined.
That’s what happened to me. When I met Victoria in my early 20s, she exceeded my expectations. She was not only smart, talented, funny, beautiful, but she had the best taste in men. She was a supersize blessing.
Your dream may be to work your way up to management, to one day lead that department, but when God supersizes it, you’re not going to be working for that company, you’re going to own your own company. You’re going to look up and say, «This is exceeding abundantly above anything I could ask or imagine.»
From Secretary to Vice President
But what you’re dreaming about may seem big to you. You don’t see how it can happen, how you could get out of debt, break the addiction, accomplish that goal. You have to stretch your faith to just believe that it will happen. But what you’re believing for is just the starting point. God is going to exceed your expectations. He has a supersize life in front of you.
I know a young lady that came from a low-income family. Her parents and relatives had always struggled to make it. Her father worked the night shift as a janitor, cleaning large buildings. Her mother would get odd jobs here and there, babysitting children. All she had seen growing up was lack and mediocrity. Her dream was to one day work in a professional environment. She thought if she could just get something better than those low-level jobs that her parents had, she would be doing good.
A friend of hers worked at a movie studio. She said there was a position available as a secretary. This young lady had put herself through college, the first one in her family to get a degree. She applied for that position and she got it. She was on cloud nine. Not only did she work in a professional office, but she made twice what her parents made combined. In her mind, she had accomplished her goal. God had blessed her in incredible ways. She was satisfied, but God wasn’t satisfied. He’s in the supersizing business.
What He has for you is bigger than you’ve imagined. She got one promotion, and another promotion, and another. Today she’s the vice president of one of the largest movie studios in the world. She has incredible influence. She decides which movies will be made and works with the biggest names in Hollywood. She told me, «Joel, I can’t even fathom where I am. Every day I go to work, I have to pinch myself to make sure this is real.»
That’s God’s dream for you. If you will keep honoring Him, being your best right where you are, then get ready for a supersized life. Get ready for doors to open that you couldn’t open. Get ready to go places that you’ve never dreamed.
One day you’re going to say, like her, «I can’t even fathom that I’m here. Never dreamed I’d be running my own business. Never dreamed I’d be living in this house. Never dreamed my children would be this successful.» Or, «I never dreamed I’d be this healthy again.»
The Crippled Man at the Temple
Every time I drive up to the Compaq Center, this place, like that lady I have to pinch myself. I had season tickets growing up to watch the Rockets play basketball. I never dreamed one day this would be Lakewood. Never dreamed that I would be a minister. Never dreamed, after 35 years of being diagnosed with terminal cancer, my mother would still be alive today. What is that? The exceeding abundantly above and beyond favor God has in store.
In Acts chapter 3 there was a crippled man that was carried to the temple each day. They put him next to the main door. He would sit there and ask for money. This is how he survived. Year after year, people would give him donations. It looked like this was his lot in life. He didn’t complain about it. He was doing his best with what he had.
But one afternoon Peter and John came to the temple. As they were about to walk in, this man asked them for money. He must have been looking down because Peter said, «Look at us.» The Scripture says, «The man looked up, expecting to receive a gift.» Peter said, «I don’t have any money for you, but I can give you something better. In the name of Jesus, rise and walk.»
Peter took him by the hand. He helped the man up. When he did, instantly his legs were healed. He started walking, running, leaping, so grateful for what God had done. But here’s my point: when Peter said, «I have something for you,» the man expected the ordinary. He expected what he had always seen. It had happened again and again the same way.
But this day, God came along and did something out of the ordinary. He was expecting a few coins, but God said, in effect, «I’m going to exceed your expectations. I’m going to do above and beyond what you’re asking for.» That one moment of favor thrust him to the next level.
Expecting Overflow, Not Ordinary
Like this man, you may be expecting the ordinary. You’re going through the routine of life, being your best with what you have. But where you are looks like that’s the way it’s always going to be. There’s no sign of anything changing. You’re expecting more of the same. But God is saying, «I’m about to exceed your expectations. Yes, it’s been routine, but you passed the test. Now you’re coming into a new day where I’m about to thrust you to a new level.»
Blessings are about to chase you down. Good breaks are going to come finding you. God is going to supersize what you’re believing for. You didn’t ask for it. You weren’t expecting it. You didn’t see it coming—it’s just the goodness of God.
The Scripture talks about how we’ll be blessed, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. You’re going to come into those running-over blessings: running over with influence, running over with creativity, running over with resources, running over with good health. God is a running-over God. He’s not a get-by God. He’s a more-than-enough God.
You may not see how this could happen, but God has ways to bless you that you’ve never thought of. In the Scripture, when Peter needed money to pay his taxes, Jesus told him to go down to the lake. The first fish he caught had the money in it that he needed.
When the Israelites wanted meat out in the wilderness, God shifted the winds and caused millions of quail to come into their camp. These two million people had a steak dinner out in the middle of the desert. Experts tell us quail don’t normally travel that far away from water. This was God making something happen that should have never happened.
The Landscape Company Owner
Friends, God controls the whole universe. You don’t have to figure it out. Just dare to believe. All through the day, «Lord, thank You for supersizing my life. Thank You for exceeding my expectations. Thank You for those running-over blessings.»
I talked to a man that owns a landscape company. Their specialty is bagging grass clippings and disposing of them. He had an agreement with a local farmer where he would take those grass clippings and feed his herd of cattle. This worked well for many years until this farmer became sick and decided to sell his farm.
He got bids for getting rid of his grass clippings in conventional ways, but the lowest one was tens of thousands of dollars a year, and he couldn’t afford that. It looked like he was stuck. But instead of getting discouraged, his attitude was, «God, I don’t see a way, but I know You have a way. I know You’re a running-over God.»
God’s ways are not our ways. Several major developers were interested in this farm, but they found out the property was in a flood plain. No bank would give anyone a loan. This farmer sold the property to this man for hardly anything. It had several tenants on it. Their rent not only pays his monthly payment, but there’s profit left over each month.
God can make things happen that you could never make happen. One touch of His favor will put you at another level. You may be thinking «ordinary.» God’s thinking «overflow.» Like this man, you’re going to come into these running-over blessings. It’s just the favor of God.
Ruth’s Supersized Blessing
This is what happened to a young lady named Ruth. Her husband was killed in a battle. She went back to her mother-in-law’s hometown to help take care of her. They barely had enough food to survive. She would go out in the fields and pick up the leftover wheat that the workers had missed.
One day, the owner of the field noticed Ruth. He told his workers to leave handfuls of wheat on purpose for Ruth. Now she didn’t have to work nearly as hard. When Ruth went out each morning, she was expecting more of the same. She was grateful. But God is full of surprises.
The owner of that field, Boaz, was one of the wealthiest men in that area. He fell in love with Ruth. They ended up getting married. Now, instead of working in the field, Ruth owned the field. What happened? God supersized her life.
This is especially important because Ruth had gone through a lot of heartache and pain. Losing her husband at an early age, I’m sure she thought, «Life’s not fair.» If she had heard this message, she could have said, «This sounds good, but God’s not going to supersize my life. I’ve been through too much.»
Like Ruth, God hasn’t forgotten about you. He’s seen the heartache you’ve endured. He not only has some handfuls on purpose for you, He has some Boazes, some explosive blessings that are going to make up for the difficulties you’ve been through.
God knows how to balance the books. You may have taken a big hit, a big loss. Get ready for some big blessings. When He supersizes your life, you’re going to be so amazed at where you are, you don’t even think about where you’ve been.
God Has Decided to Bless You
Many of you can say that you’re living a supersized life. God’s been good to you. You never dreamed you would be where you are. But you haven’t seen anything yet. God never performs His greatest victories in your past. They’re always in your future.
Why don’t you get your hopes up? You may not see how it can happen, but you can’t see what God sees. «Well, I don’t have the resources, the talent, the education.» You may not, but God does. He has everything you need.
Ruth married Boaz. They had a son named Obed. Obed had a son named Jesse. Jesse had a son named David. That means this young lady who looked like her life was over ended up in the family line of Jesus Christ.
Quit making excuses. Quit thinking you’ve reached your limits. God has something big coming your way. What He’s going to do in your future is like nothing you’ve seen in your past. It’s going to exceed your expectations.
I wonder how many times we’re stopping God from supersizing our life because we don’t believe it will happen. We let circumstances talk us out of it. Your mind may tell you, «You’ve reached your limits.» But if you’ll listen down in here, you’ll hear another voice saying, «Increase is coming. Favor is coming.»
In Luke chapter 1, an angel appeared to a teenage girl named Mary. He told her she was highly favored and she was going to have a baby without knowing a man. Mary asked, «How could this be?» The angel said, «Mary, don’t be frightened. God has decided to bless you.»
When you hear that God is going to do exceedingly abundantly above and beyond, it seems far out. But if that angel were to show up today, he would say to you, «God has decided to bless you.»
Believing What God Has Decided
God’s idea of blessing you is very different than what you think. We think natural. God thinks supernatural. We think practical. God thinks running-over, more-than-enough.
A few days after the angel appeared, Mary went to see her cousin Elizabeth. Elizabeth said, «Mary, you are blessed because you believed God would do what He said.» God decided to bless Mary, but what activated it was she believed.
If she had thought, «This is impossible,» she could have talked herself out of what God had already decided. When God says He’s going to restore health back into you, that means God has already decided it.
My challenge is don’t talk yourself out of what God has already decided for you. Moses was 80 when he started his ministry. You wouldn’t be alive unless God had something amazing in front of you.
The problem with not getting your hopes up is you’ll miss the exceeding greatness of God’s favor. God has taken me places I never dreamed. When my dad went to be with the Lord in 1999, I knew God was saying, «Joel, step up.» I didn’t think I could do it, but I chose to believe what God had already decided for me.
God has already decided to bless you, to take you further than you can imagine. Now it’s up to you. Take the limits off God. If you’ll do this, you’re about to come into those running-over blessings. God is going to supersize what you’re believing for. He’s going to exceed your expectations. In Jesus' name.