Joel Osteen - Your Words Become Your Reality (02/17/2017)
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Joel Osteen teaches that our words act like seeds, prophesying and shaping our future—positive declarations bring victory and abundance, while negative ones invite defeat and lack. Drawing from Scripture like Proverbs on eating the fruit of our words and stories of David, Ezekiel, and personal examples, he urges us to speak faith, health, and favor to change our reality.
Words as Seeds Shaping Your Future
I want to talk to you today about how «Your Words Become Your Reality». You are where you are today in part because of what you have been saying about yourself. Words are like seeds. When you speak something out, you give life to what you are saying. If you continue to say it, eventually that can become a reality.
Whether you realize it or not, you are prophesying your future. This is great when we are saying things like, I am blessed. I am strong. I will accomplish my dreams. I am coming out of debt. That is not just being positive; you are prophesying victory, prophesying success, prophesying new levels. Your life will move in the direction of your words.
Prophesying the Opposite
But too many people go around prophesying just the opposite. «I never get any good breaks.» «I will never get back in shape.» «Business is slow; I will probably get laid off.» «Flu season is here. I always get it.» They do not realize they are prophesying defeat. It is just like they are calling in bad breaks, mediocrity, lack.
The Scripture says, «We will eat the fruit of our words.» You are planting seeds when you talk. At some point, you are going to eat that fruit. My challenge is: make sure you are planting the right kind of seeds.
Sowing the Right Seeds
If you want apples, you have to sow apple seeds. If you want oranges, you cannot plant cactus seeds, poison ivy seeds, mushroom seeds. You are going to reap fruit from the exact seeds that you have been sowing.
In other words, you cannot talk negative and expect to live a positive life. You cannot talk defeat and expect to have victory. You cannot talk lack, not enough, cannot afford it, never get ahead, and expect to have abundance. If you have a poor mouth, you are going to have a poor life.
Change Your Seeds, Change Your Harvest
If you do not like what you are seeing, start sowing some different seeds. Instead of saying, «I will never get well, Joel, this sickness has been in my family for three generations.» No, let me give you the right seeds: «God is restoring health back unto me. This sickness did not come to stay; it came to pass. I am getting better and better every day.»
You keep sowing those seeds, and eventually you will eat that fruit: health, wholeness, victory. Instead of saying, «I will never get out of debt. I will never rise any higher.» No: «I will lend and not borrow. Whatever I touch prospers and succeeds. I am coming into overflow, into more than enough.»
Start sowing seeds of increase, seeds of abundance. No more «I will never accomplish my dreams.» No: «I have the favor of God. Blessings are chasing me down. The right people are searching me out. New opportunities, new levels are in my future.» If you will keep talking like that, you will reap a harvest of good things.
Blessing or Cursing Your Life
James said in the Scripture, «With our tongue we can bless our life or we can curse our life.» Many people do not realize with their words they are cursing their future. Every time you say, «I never get any good breaks,» you just cursed your life. «I will never be able to afford that nice house.» «I will never break this addiction.» «I will never meet the right person.» No, stop cursing your future.
Sometimes the enemy does not have to defeat us; we defeat ourselves. Pay attention to what you are saying. Are you blessing your life? Or are you cursing it?
A Classmate’s Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
I had a classmate in high school that was always very negative. Every time I asked him what was going on, he had this standard answer. He would always say, «Not much. I am just getting old, fat, and bald.» I heard him say that probably five hundred times. I know he was just kind of kidding, but I would not kid about that.
He was one of the stars on our football team, always in great shape, and had this thick curly hair. About fifteen years later, I ran into him at the mall. When I saw him, I nearly passed out. He had prophesied his future. He looked old, fat, and bald.
Friends, do not speak that defeat over your life. Our attitude should be: I am getting younger. God is renewing my youth like the eagles. I am getting stronger, healthier, better looking. I am going to keep my hair. I am going to stay in my right mind. I am going to live a long, productive, faith-filled life. Do not go around cursing your future. Start blessing your life. Prophesy good things.
Speaking Blessing Over Yourself
There is a young lady on staff here. Every morning before she leaves the house, she looks in the mirror and says, «Girl, you are looking good today.» I saw her one time and asked if she was still doing it. She said, «Yeah, in fact, today when I looked in the mirror, I said, 'Girl, some days you look good, but today you look really good.'»
Why do you not stop criticizing yourself? Talking about all the things you do not like: how you are getting too old, too wrinkled, too this, too that. Stop cursing your life and start blessing your life. Start calling yourself healthy, strong, talented, beautiful, young. Every morning, before you leave the house, look in the mirror and say, «Good morning, you good-looking thing.» My brother Paul, you need to do this every hour.
Speaking Victory Over Others
Sometimes when we have been traveling a lot, been very busy, Victoria will come to church with me and say, «Joel, I am so tired. Look at me. Can you see how red my eyes are?» I always say, «No, Victoria, you look beautiful. You look as great as ever.» She would say, «No, I do not, Joel. I know you will not tell me.» She is right. I do not want to speak defeat; I want to speak victory over her life.
I wonder what she would do if I ever said, «Yeah, you are right. You do not look good at all.» I am smarter than that.
Avoid Calling In Negative Outcomes
I know this man that was so concerned that he was going to get Alzheimer’s disease. Several people in his family had it: a grandfather, a great uncle. He was in his early fifties, but he was always talking about what might happen. He told me how he was making plans for who could take care of him, get everything lined up.
Of course, it is good to use common sense, to be wise. But if you go around talking about when you are going to get it and making plans for it, most likely you will not be disappointed. You are calling it in. Just like you are sending it an invitation.
I told him what I am telling you: do not say another time that you are going to have Alzheimer’s. Start declaring, «No weapon formed against me will ever prosper. I will live out my days in good health, with a clear mind, with good memory, with clarity of thought. My mind is alert. My senses are sharp. My youth is being renewed.» You have got to prophesy health. Prophesy a long, productive life. Your words will become your reality.
A Child’s Faith-Filled Declaration
When our daughter, Alexandra, was about four years old, she overheard Victoria and me talking about this little boy that was having a terrible time with headaches. He was having to leave school, causing him all kinds of difficulties. Alexandra spoke up and said, «Daddy, I do not have headaches, and I never will have headaches.» I thought, you are exactly right. You are prophesying the right thing.
One time I was working on my garage door back then. I could not get it to go up. I was kind of frustrated. I did not even realize Alexandra was there. But under my breath, I said, «This thing is never going to work.» I heard this little voice speak up: «Daddy, you are going to have what you say.» I thought, it is terrible when your own children believe your messages.
Snared by the Words of Your Mouth
Proverbs 6 says, «We are snared by the words of our mouth.» Snared means to be trapped. Your words can trap you. What you say can cause you to stumble. It can keep you from your potential. You are not snared by what you think. Negative thoughts come to us all. When you speak them out, you give them life. That is when they become a reality.
When you say, «I will never get back in shape,» it becomes more difficult. You just made it harder. When you say, «I never get any good breaks,» that stops the favor that was ordained for you. If you say, «I am not that talented. I do not have a good personality,» that is setting the limits for your life. That is calling in mediocrity.
Breaking Free from Negative Words
You may have been snared in the past, trapped by your words, but I believe this is a new day. I declare you are coming out of that trap. Every chain is being loosed. Every stronghold is coming down. No weapon formed against you is going to prosper. Now you have got to do your part. Start speaking victory over your life. Speak increase. Dare to declare God’s favor. Be bold to call in those things you are dreaming about, those things you are believing for.
Do not use your words to describe the situation; use your words to change the situation.
Take No Thought Saying
In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus was talking about worry. He said, «Take no thought, saying 'what shall we eat? What shall we drink? '» Notice that phrase «take no thought saying.» The negative thoughts will come. The key is to not say them. A thought will die stillborn if you do not speak it.
Jesus was saying, you may feel worried. It may seem like it is never going to happen. But take no thought saying. Do not verbalize it. Do not get trapped by your words.
Speaking Faith During Challenges
When we acquired this place, the former Compaq Center, it was a dream come true. We were so excited. Our builders drew up plans to renovate it from a basketball arena to a church. They called us together and said it was going to cost a hundred million dollars to renovate.
After they picked me up off the floor, my first thoughts were, that is impossible. There is no way. I have only been the pastor four years. They cannot expect me to raise those kinds of funds.
Even though those thoughts were racing through my mind again and again, I was smart enough to keep my mouth closed. I kept a big smile on my face, acted like it was no big deal. I knew if I would not verbalize those negative thoughts, eventually they would die stillborn.
It is one thing to think that it is impossible, but when you start telling people it is impossible, it takes on a whole new meaning.
Choosing the Voice of Faith
You may think, «I will never break this illness. I will never get well. I will never meet the right person.» Those thoughts come to all of us. You cannot stop that. My challenge is: do not give them life by speaking them out. Do not go call your friends and tell them how it is not going to happen.
I told our team, «I do not see a way, but I know God has a way. He did not bring us this far to leave us.» My report was: God is supplying all of our needs. The funds are coming in. It may look impossible on paper, but with God all things are possible.
I knew better than to curse my future. I did not want to get trapped by my words. I knew if I kept prophesying the right things—increase, favor, more than enough—then we would start moving toward it.
Talk About the Promise, Not the Problem
In the tough times, you have to especially be on guard. It is very tempting to vent your frustration and tell people how the loan did not go through, how bad the medical report was, how these people just did not treat you right. But continually talking about the problem—that is not only going to make you more discouraged, but you are giving that problem more life. You are making it bigger.
Turn it around: do not talk about the problem, talk about the promise. Instead of «Oh man, I got this big challenge.» No: «I serve a big God. He spoke worlds into existence. Nothing is too difficult for Him.»
Instead of «Oh, I did not get the promotion. Got passed over again. Another disappointment.» No: «I know when one door closes, that means God has something better. He is directing my steps. I am excited about my future.»
Two Voices Vying for Attention
Instead of «Oh, I will never meet the right person, Joel, I am too old. It has been too long.» No: «Something good is going to happen to me. Divine connections are coming my way.»
«Well, I heard you got a bad medical report.» «Yes, that is true. But I have another report. It says God is restoring health back unto me.»
«Well, I heard those people did you wrong.» «Yes, but I am not worried. God is my vindicator. He is fighting my battles. He has promised to give me beauty for ashes.»
See, in life there are always two voices vying for your attention: the voice of faith and the voice of defeat.
Choosing Which Voice to Empower
You will hear a voice saying like I did, «The problem is too big. It is not going to work out. Just accept it.» You will be tempted to worry, to be negative, to complain. But if you listen carefully, you will hear another voice, the voice of faith saying, «God has a way. Favor is coming. Healing is coming. Breakthroughs are coming.»
One voice will tell you you have reached your limits. You have gone as far as you can. You do not have what it takes. The other voice: «You are well able. You can do all things through Christ. Your best days are still in front of you.»
Now here is the beauty: you get to choose which voice comes to life. The way you do it is by what you speak. When you verbalize that thought, you are giving it the right to come to pass.
Prophesying Victory Like David
Maybe you are going to a job interview. One voice will tell you, «You are not going to get it. You are wasting your time. These people are not going to like you.» Another voice will say, «You have the favor of God. You are blessed. You are confident. You have what it takes.»
But if you get up that morning and tell your spouse, «I do not think I am going to get this job. They are not going to like me. I am not qualified"—there is no use even going. You are being trapped by your words.
You have to dig your heels in and say, «I am not giving life to any more defeat. I am not speaking lack. I am not speaking sickness. I am not speaking mediocrity, not enough. I am going to choose the voice of faith. It says I am strong, I am healthy, I am blessed. I am favored. I am a victor and not a victim.»
This is what David did. When he faced Goliath, it looked impossible. All the odds were against him. If he would have verbalized his negative thoughts, that would have kept him from his destiny.
Speaking to the Mountain
David went out and stood before Goliath. He looked him in the eyes and said, «You come against me with a sword and a shield. But I come against you in the name of the Lord God of Israel. This day I will defeat you and feed your head to the birds of the air.» Notice he was prophesying victory. He may have felt fear, but he spoke faith.
When you face giants in life, when you face challenges, you have to do like David: prophesy your future. Say to that cancer, «Cancer, you are no match for me. I will defeat you.» «This addiction may be in my family for years, but this is a new day. The buck stops with me. I am the difference maker. I am free.»
«My child may have been off course for a long time. But I know it is only temporary. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.» Prophesy victory over your life.
Zerubbabel and Ezekiel’s Examples
There was a man in the Scripture named Zerubbabel. He faced a huge mountain, a big obstacle. But like David, he did not talk about how impossible it was, how it was never going to work out. He said, «Who are you, oh great mountain that would stand before me? You shall become a mere molehill.» He was prophesying his future.
There is the principle: do not talk about the mountain; talk to the mountain.
In the Old Testament, Ezekiel saw a vision of a valley filled with bones. God told him to prophesy to these dead bones, say to them, «Oh, you dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.» As he prophesied, breath came into those bodies, and they stood up like a vast army.
Prophesy to Dead Situations
You may have things in your life that seem dead: your health, your business, a relationship. God is saying to you what He said to Ezekiel: it is not enough to just pray about it; you need to speak to it. Prophesy to those dead bones. Call in health. Call in abundance. Call in restoration.
If you are struggling with an addiction, do not just pray about it. Prophesy: «I am free. Chains are broken off of me. This is a new day of victory.»
Declare Your Decree
Psalm 2 says, «I will declare a decree.» You should write down your goals, what you want to see happen in life. Then every day, declare that decree. Read over it out loud.
It is not enough to just think it; something happens when we speak. You have to prophesy your future.
Some declarations: I am strong. I am healthy. I am in shape. I weigh what I am supposed to weigh. I am full of energy. I am passionate. I am talented. I am secure. I am valuable. I am confident. I have a good personality. People like me. I am fun to be around. I am happy. I enjoy my life. I am a person of excellence. I am full of integrity. I am successful. I am prosperous. My future is bright. My children are mighty in the land. My legacy will live on to inspire future generations. I run with purpose in every step. I am blessed. I am victorious. I am a child of the Most High God.
Words Set Your Direction
If you keep speaking things like that over your life, those words will get down on the inside of you. They will not only change your outlook but they will change who you are. Your words will become your reality. You are prophesying your future.
James said, «Just as a tiny rudder controls a large ship, so the tongue sets the direction for our life.»
Are you going in the right direction? Are you seeing increase, favor, new growth? If not, check up on what you are saying. When you get your words going in the right direction, your life will go in the right direction.
Make this decision with me: no more words of lack, defeat, cannot do it, mediocrity, doubt. Do not curse your future; bless your future. If you will start prophesying victory, prophesying favor, I believe and declare you are going to rise higher, overcome every obstacle, and become everything God has created you to be. In Jesus’ name.