Joel Osteen - Mix Your Faith
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I want to talk to you today about Mix 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 won't do you any good. On their own you won't see any change, they're just nice encouraging words. You have to add an ingredient that activates the power. There's something you have, when you put it with the promise, that's what makes it come alive and become what God said.
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 didn't build, and have vineyards that they didn't plant. But just because God promised it doesn't mean it's 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'll never get well. Did you see the medical report"? They're mixing something, the problem is it's the wrong thing. They're mixing doubt, mixing unbelief. That's why God's word did not profit them. Profit means they didn't see increase, they didn't overcome the challenge, they didn't have the favor. Not because God wasn't able, not because the promise lost its power - it's because the promise wasn't mixed with faith.
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 12 men to spy out the Promised Land. 10 of them came back and said "We don't have a chance. The people are too big. We felt like grasshoppers compared to them". God had already promised them the victory, he'd 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're going to do? What are you going to mix with the promise? There's only one ingredient that activates the power, only one ingredient that ignites what God said, and that's 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's not just being positive, that's mixing your faith, that's 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's go back to Egypt. Let's 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. What are you mixing with what God promised you? God said he'll make streams in the desert, even in famine you will have more than enough. "Joel, I don't know, this pandemic has slowed my business. I don't see how I could ever get out of debt". You're mixing in the wrong thing.
The promise, even though it's powerful, even though it can cause doors to open, it's not going to profit you. Doubt doesn't activate the power, talking about how it's not going to happen, how big the obstacles are, how you're at a disadvantage - that's going to keep you from your destiny. Why don't you start mixing in faith? When you believe angels go to work. When you believe supernatural doors will open. When you believe you'll defeat giants. When you believe you'll accomplish dreams much bigger than you thought.
Here's the key: you don't 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're 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 sun 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's small, even though it doesn't look like much, it's powerful. There's fire in the match, it can become a huge force, but nothing happens until you ignite it. When you strike that match and it catches fire, then the power is released. It's the same way with the promises: they're powerful, they can bring healing, they can restore relationships, they can catapult you to a new level. But they won't 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. Don't believe those lies that you don't 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. It's easy to mix in doubt, mix fear, mix self-pity, mix complaining, but there's only one ingredient that's going to profit you - all the others won't 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'm saying that by faith, remembering the meals that I could eat. But my mother was interesting, she didn't 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 didn't have any sugar, the recipe called for a half a cup. I thought what are we going to do? She said, "Oh, Joel, it's no problem, I'll just add a half a cup of applesauce instead, you'll love applesauce".
She mixed up all the ingredients and poured them in to one of those tall containers, about six inches high like a bundt-cake. It was supposed to rise and fill the container, 30 minutes later she took it out of the oven it was about an inch tall. You think I'm 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's my point? When you're cooking the right ingredients matter. You can substitute applesauce for sugar, but you're not going to get the result you're looking for. In the same way God has a recipe so to speak to bring his promises to pass, there's a specific ingredient you have to add, it's called faith. If you put something else in, you're not going to get the right results.
Too often we're mixing in doubt, fear, worry, we wonder why our cake is not rising? "It's never going to happen, I'm too old, this problem's 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're going to see those promises come to pass.
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'm sure they were tempted to complain, "We don't have a chance", but they understood this principle: if the promise is going to be fulfilled, you have to add the right ingredient. You can't go around talking defeat, you can't live worried thinking it's never going to work out, afraid that you're not going to get well. That's not going to activate the promise, you have to mix in your 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 won't 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've created them to be". You just ignited the promise, that's when you're 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's on the way - God is faithful to his word.
What's interesting is Joshua and Caleb were the only two out of that whole group of over 2 million people that ever made it into the Promised Land. It's 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're not mixing faith with them? "Well, if God wants to heal me, he'll heal me. If he wants to bless me he'll 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's impossible to please God". He doesn't necessarily need your talent, your ability, your education, he needs your faith, he needs you to get an agreement with him, to take that promise and believe that it will come to pass.
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's easy to accept it and think it's 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's not too late, he can cause you to defy the odds and give you a child. But this promise on its own won't do you any good, it's 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's good, but there's nothing more powerful than when you mix your faith with the promise, that's when angels go to work, that's 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's 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're believing for, and start mixing your faith with them. There are blessings, healing, freedom, new levels that God has for you, but they're only activated when you get in agreement.
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're 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's not just quoting scripture, that's not just making hopeful statements, that's mixing my faith. That's 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 wasn't looking for it, I didn't know the people, wasn't 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 don't believe it would have happened, if I had not been mixing my faith with the promises. Wasn't a coincidence, I didn't just get lucky, that was the word profiting me because I mixed it with faith.
Maybe you've been through a disappointment, a bad break. It's 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's not going to prosper".
When you're in tough times, the enemy would love for you to mix in self-pity, "God, I don't understand it". Mix in bitterness, "It's not fair". Mix in doubt, "I'll never meet the right person". That's 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're turning to my advantage. I know my latter days will be better than my former days". What you're 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.
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 12 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's never going to happen. But instead of mixing doubt with the promises, thinking she didn't have a chance, she did what I'm 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're one of the 12 that we've chosen". God can make a way, where you don't see a way. He's not limited by what you don't have, he's not intimidated by what you're up against, the odds being against you doesn't stop his plan. God is about to open a door that you can't open. He's about to turn that illness around. He's 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 don't think this will happen for me. I never get any good breaks". You're right, you can't mix doubt and see God's promises profit you, you can't mix negative talking, thinking it's not going to happen. Start mixing faith. You don't have to see how it's going to happen, God has ways you've never thought of. All you have to do is get an 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 don't 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 can't make happen. He'll take you where you can't go on your own.
In John chapter 4 Jesus was traveling through Galilee, he came to the town of Canaan. 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 didn't 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'm not leaving. Jesus you didn't even pray for my son. You didn't even speak healing to him. I'm saying here till you come with me". No, his attitude was "I've heard the word, I've heard what God promised that my son is well, I'm not going to mix in doubt, I'm not going to mix in worry thinking it's not going to happen, he didn't do it my way - I'm going to mix in the right ingredient, I'm going to add my faith, 'Lord, I believe what you said'".
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'm asking us to do, he mixed faith with it. He wasn't moved by what he saw, he wasn't discouraged because Jesus didn't come. He wasn't 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's too late, Jesus wouldn't 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's 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, thought started bombarding his mind, "They're coming with the bad news, your son didn't make it, it's 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 the sudden your son got better, now he's perfectly well, running around, playing like nothing was ever wrong".
That's 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. Don't be moved by what you don't see, by how long it's taking, by how bad it looks, by what you don't have. God has the final say. There are promises he's spoken to you. You don't see anything changing, it's been a long time, you're tempted to give up - God has you hearing this because it's 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's on the way. Don't let those negative thoughts override what God has spoken to your heart.
When you're 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're struggling in your finances, "Lord, thank you that I will lend and not borrow, that whatever I touch will prosper and succeed". That's what brings the promises to life.
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'm 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'm 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 can't believe Jesus wouldn't come with me", I don't 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".
Don't go by what you see, go by what God said. If you'll get an agreement with God it will change what you see. God said, he's 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 don't see how, Joel" - you don't have to see how, "Lord, I believe". God said he's 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's not going to happen, I can give you one great reason while it will happen - the Creator of the universe, the God who spoke worlds into existence has declared it. He doesn't go back on his word.
I'm 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 didn't 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're on the verge of something you've never seen. God is getting you prepared for the surpassing greatness of his favor. It's going to seem too big, you don't see how it can happen, how you could afford it, how you could accomplish it - it's 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's going to make things happen that you couldn't make happen. Now, every day thank him for the promise in Ephesians, for the far and beyond favor. If you'll keep mixing faith with the promises, I believe and declare, what God said it's 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.