Joel Osteen - Mix Your Faith
- Watch
- Donate
- Contact Us
In this message based on Hebrews 4:2, the preacher explains that God’s powerful promises in Scripture remain ineffective unless mixed with faith; drawing from the Israelites' failure, Joshua and Caleb’s success, and stories of healing and favor, he urges believers to activate promises by agreeing with God, declaring them, and adding their «amen» to His «yes.»
God’s Promises Are Powerful—But Inactive Alone!
I want to talk to you today about mixing your faith. God has given us all these powerful promises in the scripture—promises that say we will live an abundant life, we will be healthy and whole, we can do all things through Christ—on and on, hundreds of promises of favor, increase, restoration.
But as powerful as these promises are, as encouraging and inspiring as they can be, by themselves these promises will not do you any good. On their own you will not see any change; they are just nice encouraging words. You have to add an ingredient that activates the power. There is something you have; when you put it with the promise, that is what makes it come alive and become what God said.
The Missing Ingredient: Faith!
Hebrews 4:2 says, «The word did not profit them, not being mixed with faith when they heard it.» These people heard the promises; God told them they were going to overcome opposition, defeat enemies, and make it into the Promised Land. He told them they would live in houses that they did not build and have vineyards that they did not plant.
But just because God promised it does not mean it is automatically going to happen. He throws the promise out like a seed. What kind of ground is it going to fall on? Some people hear the promise that God is restoring health back unto them; instead of mixing faith, they think, «I will never get well. Did you see the medical report?» They are mixing something; the problem is it is the wrong thing. They are mixing doubt, mixing unbelief.
That is why God’s word did not profit them. Profit means they did not see increase; they did not overcome the challenge; they did not have the favor—not because God was not able, not because the promise lost its power, but because the promise was not mixed with faith.
From Slavery to the Edge—Then Doubt Stopped Them
God brought the Israelites out of slavery; He parted the Red Sea, drowned their enemies—they made it to the Promised Land; they were camped next door. You would think they would be full of faith, ready to take the land, knowing that God brought them through in the past and He would bring them through this time.
Moses sent twelve men to spy out the Promised Land. Ten of them came back and said, «We do not have a chance. The people are too big. We felt like grasshoppers compared to them.» God had already promised them the victory; He had already told them the land was theirs; they just had to go in and possess it.
They had the promise; God had spoken to them, but the promise alone is not enough. God does His part; then He waits to see what we are going to do, what we are going to mix with the promise.
Only One Ingredient Ignites God’s Word
There is only one ingredient that activates the power, only one ingredient that ignites what God said—and that is faith. How do we mix our faith? We agree with what God promised: «Lord, thank You that as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Thank You that the number of my days You will fulfill.» That is not just being positive; that is mixing your faith; that is what activates the promise.
When the Israelites heard this negative report, it began to spread all throughout the camp. Before long two million people were afraid, complaining, saying, «Moses, let us go back to Egypt. Let us go back to being slaves.» The mistake they made is they mixed in doubt; they mixed in unbelief. What happened? The word did not profit them. They never made it into the Promised Land.
Stop Mixing Doubt—Start Mixing Faith!
What are you mixing with what God promised you? God said He will make streams in the desert; even in famine you will have more than enough. «Joel, I do not know; this pandemic has slowed my business. I do not see how I could ever get out of debt.» You are mixing in the wrong thing.
The promise, even though it is powerful, even though it can cause doors to open, is not going to profit you. Doubt does not activate the power; talking about how it is not going to happen, how big the obstacles are, how you are at a disadvantage—that is going to keep you from your destiny.
Why do not you start mixing in faith? When you believe, angels go to work. When you believe, supernatural doors will open. When you believe, you will defeat giants. When you believe, you will accomplish dreams much bigger than you thought.
Mustard Seed Faith Moves Mountains
Here is the key: you do not have to have a lot of faith. The scripture says (Matthew 17:20), «If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can move a mountain.» What you are up against may seem impossible; the odds are against you, but when you say, «God, I know You can do the impossible. You said when the enemy comes in like a flood, You would raise up a barrier. You said whom the Son sets free is free indeed. You said my children will be mighty in the land, ” you know what you did? You just mixed in faith.
Faith ignites the promise like a match; even though it is small, even though it does not look like much, it is powerful. There is fire in the match; it can become a huge force, but nothing happens until you ignite it.
Little Faith = Huge Blessings!
When you strike that match and it catches fire, then the power is released. It is the same way with the promises: they are powerful; they can bring healing; they can restore relationships; they can catapult you to a new level. But they will not do you any good until you ignite them.
When you mix your faith with the promises, powerful things happen. A little match can start a huge fire. A little faith can start a huge blessing. Little faith can open big doors. Little faith can bring you a Compaq Center. Little faith can heal you from terminal illnesses. Little faith can defeat great giants.
Do not believe those lies that you do not have enough faith; you have the faith you need to get you to your destiny. Now do your part: start mixing faith with the promises.
Wrong Ingredients = Flat Cake Disaster!
It is easy to mix in doubt, mix fear, mix self-pity, mix complaining, but there is only one ingredient that is going to profit you—all the others will not do you any good.
When I was growing up, my mother always cooked for the family; there were five of us children. She was a good cook—I am saying that by faith, remembering the meals that I could eat. But my mother was interesting; she did not necessarily go by the recipes; she just added whatever she had available.
One time I was in the kitchen with her; I was about seven years old, and she was making a cake. She realized she did not have any sugar; the recipe called for a half a cup. I thought, what are we going to do? She said, „Oh, Joel, it is no problem; I will just add a half a cup of applesauce instead. You will love applesauce.“
She mixed up all the ingredients and poured them into one of those tall containers, about six inches high like a bundt cake. It was supposed to rise and fill the container. Thirty minutes later she took it out of the oven; it was about an inch tall.
Follow God’s Recipe—Add Faith!
You think I am an optimist; my mother said, „Joel, it will still be delicious.“ I took one bite; it tasted like washing detergent. Thank God the scripture says, „If you eat any deadly thing, it will not harm you.“
What is my point? When you are cooking, the right ingredients matter. You can substitute applesauce for sugar, but you are not going to get the result you are looking for. In the same way, God has a recipe, so to speak, to bring His promises to pass; there is a specific ingredient you have to add—it is called faith. If you put something else in, you are not going to get the right results.
Too often we are mixing in doubt, fear, worry; we wonder why our cake is not rising: „It is never going to happen; I am too old; this problem is too big; everybody in my family has this addiction.“
Do yourself a favor: go back to the recipe. Quit adding all these ingredients that are not called for; start adding in faith: „Father, thank You that what You started in my life You will finish. Thank You that I am strong in the Lord. Thank You that I can do all things through Christ. Thank You that the enemies I see today I will see no more.“
You keep doing that, and you are going to see those promises come to pass.
Joshua & Caleb: Faith That Conquered
The other two spies, Joshua and Caleb, came back from the Promised Land, and they had a different report. They said, „Moses, we are well able to take the land. Yes, the giants are big, but we know our God is bigger. Let us go in at once.“
Unlike the other spies, these two men chose to mix faith with the promise. They saw the same giants, same obstacles, same problem. I am sure they were tempted to complain, „We do not have a chance, ” but they understood this principle: if the promise is going to be fulfilled, you have to add the right ingredient.
You cannot go around talking defeat; you cannot live worried thinking it is never going to work out, afraid that you are not going to get well. That is not going to activate the promise; you have to mix in your faith.
Your Kids' Destiny? Activate It with Faith!
Maybe a child is off course, not making good decisions, running with the wrong crowd. God promises (Psalm 112:2), „The seed of the righteous”—that means your children—“will be mighty in the land.“ That promise gives us hope; it lets us know that God’s favor is on our children, that they will be influential, successful, history makers.
But although this promise is powerful, although it has the potential to thrust our children into their destiny, to break chains that are holding them back, to set them on course, to rise higher—it will not do them any good unless we mix our faith with it.
You have to make it personal: „Father, thank You that my children will be mighty in the land. Thank You that Your hand of favor is upon them. Thank You that they will become who You have created them to be.“ You just ignited the promise; that is when you are going to see the word profit you.
It may not happen overnight, but keep mixing faith; keep declaring what God said; keep talking like it is on the way—God is faithful to His word.
Only Two Made It—Because of Faith
What is interesting is Joshua and Caleb were the only two out of that whole group of over two million people that ever made it into the Promised Land. It is because they were the only two that mixed faith with the promises, the only two that saw the word profit them.
I wonder how many promises are not profiting us simply because we are not mixing faith with them: „Well, if God wants to heal me, He will heal me. If He wants to bless me, He will bless me.“ No—even though God is all-powerful, even though He controls the universe, He needs an ingredient from you.
The scripture says (Hebrews 11:6), „Without faith, it is impossible to please God.“ He does not necessarily need your talent, your ability, your education; He needs your faith; He needs you to get in agreement with Him, to take that promise and believe that it will come to pass.
Barren? Mix Faith for Your Miracle Baby!
I talked to a young lady that was trying to have a baby. Years had gone by with no success, and she had taken the fertility treatments. Now medically speaking she was told it was not possible.
It is easy to accept it and think it is not meant to be, but there are promises you need to activate. It says in Psalm 113:9, „God will make the barren woman a happy mother of children.“ God can bring your womb back to life. It is not too late; He can cause you to defy the odds and give you a child.
But this promise on its own will not do you any good; it is just a hopeful statement. It needs another ingredient—your faith.
I can declare it over you; other people can pray that God will give you a child, and that is good, but there is nothing more powerful than when you mix your faith with the promise—that is when angels go to work; that is when miracles are set into motion.
Instead of thinking, „It will never happen, ” all through the day: „Father, thank You that the fruit of my womb is blessed. Thank You that there is a baby that already has my name on them. Thank You for what You promised—that You will make me the happy mother of children.“
Find promises that have to do with what you are believing for, and start mixing your faith with them. There are blessings, healing, freedom, new levels that God has for you, but they are only activated when you get in agreement.
Stored-Up Blessings Waiting for Your Faith
Psalm 30:19 says, „God has blessings stored up for the righteous.“ I want to activate that promise; I need God’s favor to fulfill my destiny. Every day I say, „Lord, thank You for those blessings You have stored up for me. Thank You that You are opening doors that no man can shut. Thank You that Your favor surrounds me like a shield. Thank You that no good thing will You withhold because I walk uprightly.“
That is not just quoting scripture; that is not just making hopeful statements—that is mixing my faith. That is adding an ingredient that causes what God said to become profitable to me.
A couple of weeks ago an opportunity came that was more than I could imagine. I was not looking for it; I did not know the people; I was not trying to make it happen. It was one of those blessings God had stored up for me; it was His favor causing me to stand out; it was His goodness chasing me down.
But I do not believe it would have happened if I had not been mixing my faith with the promises. It was not a coincidence; I did not just get lucky—that was the word profiting me because I mixed it with faith.
Beauty for Ashes? Declare It in Tough Times!
Maybe you have been through a disappointment, a bad break. It is easy to live down, discouraged: „Why did this happen?“ Try a different approach: „Father, thank You for what You promised—that You will give me beauty for these ashes. Thank You that You said all things are working together for my good. You said no weapon formed against me will prosper. This may have formed, but Lord, I thank You that it is not going to prosper.“
When you are in tough times, the enemy would love for you to mix in self-pity: „God, I do not understand it.“ Mix in bitterness: „It is not fair.“ Mix in doubt: „I will never meet the right person.“
That is when you have to dig down deep and say, „God, I know You are still on the throne. I know Your plans for me are for good. I know what was meant for harm You are turning to my advantage. I know my latter days will be better than my former days.“
What you are mixing with the promises will determine whether they come alive and you see God’s favor and blessings or whether the promises will not profit you.
From 1 in 2600 to Scholarship Winner!
I know a young lady that was graduating from high school. Her dream was to be in theater. She loved acting and singing, being a part of plays. There was a prestigious school that she really wanted to attend. She applied for a scholarship; the problem was there were only twelve positions available, but 2600 other students applied as well.
The chances of her getting in were so small; she could have been discouraged, thought just by luck it is never going to happen. But instead of mixing doubt with the promises, thinking she did not have a chance, she did what I am asking us to do.
All through the day: „Father, thank You that Your favor is causing me to stand out. You said because I delight myself in You, You will give me the desires of my heart.“
She kept mixing faith, thanking God that He was working, declaring favor, believing the right doors would open. A few months later she received an email; it said, „Congratulations; out of the 2600 students you are one of the twelve that we have chosen.“
God Defies Odds When You Believe!
God can make a way where you do not see a way. He is not limited by what you do not have; He is not intimidated by what you are up against; the odds being against you does not stop His plan.
God is about to open a door that you cannot open. He is about to turn that illness around. He is about to free you from that addiction. That child is about to get back on course. God has blessings stored up for you—healing, freedom, favor, breakthroughs.
„Joel, I do not think this will happen for me. I never get any good breaks.“ You are right—you cannot mix doubt and see God’s promises profit you; you cannot mix negative talking, thinking it is not going to happen.
Start mixing faith. You do not have to see how it is going to happen; God has ways you have never thought of. All you have to do is get in agreement with Him: „Father, You said in Ephesians that we would see the surpassing greatness of Your favor. You said whatever I touch would prosper and succeed. You said You would always cause me to triumph. I do not see a way, but I know You have a way. The odds are against me, but I know You are for me.“
You keep mixing faith like that; God will make things happen that you cannot make happen. He will take you where you cannot go on your own.
The Official Who Believed Without Seeing
In John chapter 4, Jesus was traveling through Galilee; He came to the town of Cana. There was a government official in another city that had a son that was very sick, close to death. When he heard Jesus was in Cana, he rushed over there, fell at Jesus’ feet, and begged Him to heal his son.
Jesus did not go at first, but the man pleaded, said, „Please, Jesus, come now; my little boy is about to die.“ Jesus looked at the man and said (John 4:50), „You can go back home; your son is healed!“
The scripture says, „The man believed Jesus’ word and started back home.“ The man could have thought, „I am not leaving. Jesus, You did not even pray for my son. You did not even speak healing to him. I am staying here till You come with me.“
No, his attitude was, „I have heard the word; I have heard what God promised—that my son is well. I am not going to mix in doubt; I am not going to mix in worry thinking it is not going to happen; He did not do it my way—I am going to mix in the right ingredient; I am going to add my faith: ‘Lord, I believe what You said.’“
He Believed—And His Son Lived!
He turned around and headed home—no sign that anything changed; nothing looked any different. All he had was a promise, but he did what I am asking us to do: he mixed faith with it.
He was not moved by what he saw; he was not discouraged because Jesus did not come; he was not complaining that it seemed impossible—he just kept thanking God for what he heard.
Every thought told him that his son would never get well: „It is too late; Jesus would not come; you should be disappointed.“ He had a thousand reasons to doubt, to worry, to be upset, but he kept mixing his faith with the promise: „I believe he is healed. I believe what Jesus said—that my son will live.“
While he was walking home, people from his house came running toward him. I can imagine him seeing them in the distance; thoughts started bombarding his mind: „They are coming with the bad news; your son did not make it; it is too late.“
Deep down he kept playing those words: „Thank You, Jesus, that my son will live. Lord, I believe what You promised.“ The people finally made it to him; they had a big smile; they said, „We have good news—all of a sudden your son got better; now he is perfectly well, running around, playing like nothing was ever wrong.“
Mix Faith—See Promises Come Alive!
That is what happens when you add the right ingredient to the promises—not doubt, not worry, not fear. Mix in your faith; dare to believe what God told you.
Do not be moved by what you do not see, by how long it is taking, by how bad it looks, by what you do not have. God has the final say.
There are promises He has spoken to you. You do not see anything changing; it has been a long time; you are tempted to give up—God has you hearing this because it is on the way. You are closer than you think.
This is not the time to start doubting; now more than ever you need to stir up your faith. Keep thanking God for what He promised. Keep declaring what He said. Keep talking like it is on the way. Do not let those negative thoughts override what God has spoken to your heart.
When you are fighting the illness: „Father, thank You for what You promised—I will live and not die and declare the works of the Lord.“
When you are struggling in your finances: „Lord, thank You that I will lend and not borrow, that whatever I touch will prosper and succeed.“ That is what brings the promises to life.
God’s Yes + Your Amen = Miracle!
The scripture says (2 Corinthians 1:20), „All of God’s promises are yes and amen.“ God gives you the promise; He gives you the yes, says, „I am going to do it, ” but the yes alone is not enough; you have to add the „amen“ to it. Amen means „I believe it. God, I am in agreement with You.“
When Jesus told the man, „Your son is well, ” He gave him the yes, but the man had to add the amen. If he would have gone home discouraged—“I cannot believe Jesus would not come with me”—I do not know if it would have been the same outcome.
God says yes; now do your part—add the amen to it. God said, „Your children will be mighty in the land.“ Do not go by what you see; go by what God said. If you will get in agreement with God, it will change what you see.
God said He is going to bring you to a flourishing finish. Your response: just three simple words—“Lord, I believe.»
God said He will open the windows of heaven, pour out blessings that you cannot contain. «I do not see how, Joel”—you do not have to see how: „Lord, I believe.“
God said He is going to restore the years that were stolen: „Lord, I believe.“
God said, „The enemies you see today you will see no more.“ You may think of a thousand reasons why that is not going to happen; I can give you one great reason why it will happen—the Creator of the universe, the God who spoke worlds into existence, has declared it. He does not go back on His word.
Far and Beyond Favor Is Coming!
I am asking you to add the right ingredient—no more mixing in doubt, no more mixing in unbelief. Start mixing your faith so the promises will become profitable to you, so you will see the greatness of our God.
He wants to show out in your life; He has awesome things in your future. I never dreamed I would be up here; never dreamed we would own the Compaq Center—this did not happen because I had the most talent, the most education, the most faith. The truth is I had mustard seed faith, but I dared to believe what God said; I dared to add the amen to what He promised. Doors have opened that I never dreamed would open.
Can I encourage you? You are on the verge of something you have never seen. God is getting you prepared for the surpassing greatness of His favor. It is going to seem too big; you do not see how it can happen, how you could afford it, how you could accomplish it—it is not going to happen by your might, by your power; the Most High God is going to breathe on you in a new way; He is going to make things happen that you could not make happen.
Now, every day thank Him for the promise in Ephesians—for the far and beyond favor. If you will keep mixing faith with the promises, I believe and declare what God said is going to profit you—new doors are about to open; the right people are about to show up; negative situations are about to turn around; healing is coming, freedom, breakthroughs, abundance, the fullness of your destiny, in Jesus’ name.