Joel Osteen - The God Who Opens Doors
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I want to talk to you today about The God Who Opens Doors. We all face situations where it seems like the door is shut. We're working hard, but not getting good breaks. The loan didn't go through. We still haven't met anyone. Thoughts will tell you, "That door is never going to open. You can't accomplish your dreams. You don't have the training, you're locked out". Sometimes it's like a door is slammed in our face. A friend walked away, a person betrayed us, we came down with an illness. The door looks like it's permanently locked. But the scripture says (Revelation 3:7), "God will open doors that no person can shut". God is your door keeper. He's in control of the doors in your life.
You may be up against a door that seems locked, no way you can get well, no way you can start the business, no way you can break the addiction - that door is dead bolted, chained. Now, when it's your time, the Most High God will break the chains. He's about to unlock some doors that have been locked, you're about to walk in to what you've been shut out of: promotion, healing, freedom, the right people. Don't believe those lies that the doors are permanently closed. The God who opens doors is about to show out in your life. Maybe you've been shut out of abundance, overflow, a bountiful life, you'd shut behind that door of lack and not enough - I see that door opening up right now. God is doing a new thing. He's about to take you where you've never been.
See, the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years, shut out of the Promised Land. They could see it, but they couldn't go in, the door was closed. The people living there were bigger, stronger, more powerful. They couldn't defeat them. But just because the door has been closed, doesn't mean it's going to stay closed. God told Joshua, "It's time to possess the land". He was saying, "Joshua, I know the door has been shut. I haven't allowed you to go in, the obstacles were too big, but this is a new season, I'm going to open the door so you can enter the Promised Land". Doors that have been closed for a long time for you are about to open. David said in Psalm 24:7, "Open up ancient gates, and the king of glory will come in".
Ancient gates means things that have been shut for years. Doors that have been closed in your family line for generations, things you've been shut out of, dealing with addictions, depression, low self-esteem, mediocrity. Ancient gates are about to open up. Like the Israelites, you're about to walk into your Promised Land, to blessings, freedom, wholeness, new levels. I can see chains breaking right now, deadbolts coming off, doors opening. You're coming out of generational curses, generational limitations, generational struggles, into generational blessings. What's been stored up for your family is about to be released with you. What's been held back, what should have been yours it's not lost, it's been accumulating.
Ancient gates are about to open up. You couldn't make it happen, it's the king of glory, it's the Most High God, it's your doorkeeper doing what only he can do. Now, get ready for some open doors. You're coming into a season of greater favor, greater opportunity, greater anointing, greater influence. Now here's a key: doors that have been closed, they weren't closed by accident. God was getting you prepared for what's next. The scripture says: he didn't take the Israelites the shortest route to the Promised Land, because they weren't ready for war, they would have been defeated by their enemies. The times you've been shut out, the door has been closed, was not wasted. God was doing a work in you, getting you stronger, making sure you could carry the weight of glory.
You were faithful, you kept doing the right thing, you didn't complain when it wasn't fair, you didn't get bitter over who did you wrong, you weren't sour because it wasn't working out - you passed the test. You proved to God that you would be faithful. Now, you're about to come into favor, resources, opportunity. You're going to see what your parents and grandparents dreamed of. You're going to walk into the blessing that they prayed for, these ancient gates are about to open up for you. It's because of your grandmother's prayers, it's because your great-grandfather honored God, you're going to see generational blessings.
My father dreamed of having an auditorium with 20.000 seats. He talked about how one day he was going to buy the Compaq Center, this is when he had an auditorium that held 2.000 people. Years before the rockets ever moved out of this facility, God put the dream in him. He could sense something big was coming. But that door never opened. He stayed shut out. But God knows what he's doing - he's a faithful God. The fulfillment of that dream wasn't for my father, it was for his children. That was an ancient gate that had been shot, was in our family line, God had already promised it, at the right time the doorkeeper opened that ancient gate. I'm living in the dream that started with my father. Daddy was very blessed, and very influential, but really he never saw the level of favor that God shown me. I say this in humility, giving God all the credit, but God has taken me further than my father.
Now, often think about what would my father think now, he couldn't even fathom what God is doing. I believe there are blessings stored up in your family line. Your parents, those that went before you, they may have seen God's goodness, they were blessed, but they didn't realize it was limited. They were in some way still locked out, like God did with me, you're going to see these ancient gates open up, you're going to see the fullness of what God had in mind. Maybe there's been depression in your family line, sicknesses, everyone has heart disease, everyone gets divorced, strife and division, it's like you've been locked out of good relationships, locked out of happiness, locked out of good health, and strength. God is saying: those ancient gates are about to open. Doors that have been shut for your family, chains that have limited you for generations are being broken. God is releasing you into increase, into new levels, into something that you've never seen. It wasn't what you did, it was the doorkeeper showing your favor, bringing the right people, freeing you from the addiction, lifting you out of struggle and lack into more than enough. Get this down in your spirit: doors are about to open. God's about to take you where you can't go on your own. Chains that have kept those doors locked, they're dead bolted, they look permanent, they are no match for our God.
Psalm 107:16 says, "He broke down the gates of bronze, he cut in two their bars of iron". You may have struggled with the sickness a long time, looks like you'll never get well, the door to health has been changed so to speak - I can see the chain breaking. I can see the hinges moving. God is about to do something supernatural. That addiction, depression, anxiety may seem permanent. Every thought tells, "You you'll have to live with it. You've been locked out of freedom". I can see the deadbolt turning. I can see the door starting to open. You're about to walk into wholeness, freedom. Where it seems like you can't accomplish your dream, you don't have the connections, that loan didn't go through, people wouldn't help you, you've been shut out. It's like it's an iron door, it'll never move. I can see those bars of iron being cut in two. I can see God doing something unusual, uncommon. He's about to unlock some things that have limited you. Doors that look impossible are about to suddenly open. A door to healing, a door to freedom, a door to promotion, a door to a spouse.
How about a door to a baby? The report may say, "You can't have children". You've tried everything, seems like the door is locked. Medically speaking it's not going to happen. Now, get ready, the door keeper is about to open up your wound. Against all odds, you're going to conceive, and have that baby you've been dreaming about. Been single a long time, want to meet someone, but thoughts tell you that, you know, "You'll always be lonely". Now, a door is about to open. You're about to see a divine connection, the right person is already in route. The reason you haven't seen them yet, is they've been behind a closed door. The good news is: God is your door keeper. He knows not only how to open the door, but when to open the door. When it's the right time, all the forces of darkness cannot stop what God has purposed for your life.
You need to tell every closed door, "You are not permanent. You will not keep me from my destiny. You don't have the final say, my doorkeeper has the final say. He's promised he will open doors that no person can shut. He will break through bars of iron. He will break chains to get me into my purpose". I can see right now through my eyes of faith doors opening. I can see chains breaking. I can see you stepping into new levels of freedom, health, favor, abundance. I can see ancient gates that have held you back for years, they're opening up. The king of glory is about to come in. He's going to do things you can't explain, it's going to be supernatural. Doors opening you never dream would open. Promotion coming to you. The right people showing up. Healing when the report says, "There's no way". Freedom from things that have limited you. These open doors are going to catapult you into your destiny.
In Acts chapter 12, king Herod had Peter arrested, and put in prison. Herod was against the church. He had already had James, one of the apostles killed. Looked like Peter would be next. He was in the deepest part of the prison, chained between two guards. Herod had assigned 16 soldiers to watch over Peter. There were two guard stations with two doors he would have to pass, on top of that there was a huge iron gate at the entrance of the property. Herod went to great lengths, to make sure that Peter wouldn't escape. What he didn't realize was he was not the door keeper, he was not in control of Peter's destiny.
There will always be people and circumstances that try to keep you behind closed doors. Like Herod, assigned these soldiers to hold Peter back, there are forces assigned to you to try to stop your purpose. The good news is: the forces that are for you are greater than the forces that are against you. You may have these times where you're behind closed doors. You feel like you're outnumbered, the odds are against you. You have to remind yourself who your doorkeeper is. You have to keep this scripture down in your spirit, "God will open doors that no person can shut". The enemy may have put you behind a door of sickness, a door of trouble, a door of addiction. You feel chained, there's no way out. Now, your time is coming. God wouldn't have let that door closed, if he didn't have a way to open it.
We have a gate on our driveway at home. And sometimes when a friend is coming over, or a repairman, I'll watch for them out the back door. I can see when a car pulls up, and they'll come to the gate and stop. And when they're about to get out, try to figure out how to get in, I'll hit the remote control from the house. The gate opens, they drive in. Invariably, they'll say "I didn't know how I was going to get in, then the gate just opened up". I tell them, "Yes, I was watching for you. I have the remote control". In life, you'll come to these times where you're at a gate, a closed door, you don't have the code, you don't know how you can get through it, it's too big, it's an iron gate - don't worry, God has the remote. There's not a gate you're behind, that God doesn't have the control. It works all the way from heaven. All he has to do is push the button so to speak, give the command, and angels go to work. These mighty warriors, powerful forces that carry out God's command.
When you come to a closed door, an iron gate, like I was watching for my company, knowing that they weren't going to be able to get in on their own, how much more is God watching for you? How much more is he aware of what you need, where you are, what you're up against? He knows when you're at a big gate, an iron door, you don't have the code. The sickness is staring at you. The financial problem, the child that's off course, you're locked out, no way you can get past that gate. Now, stay in peace: God sees you, and he has the remote. When it's the right time, that gate will open. Chains will be broken. Bars of iron will be cut in two. When God wants it open, nothing can stop him.
Peter was in prison, chained between two guards. The next day he was going to be brought to trial. He knew, there was a good chance that was the last night of his life. What was he doing? Worrying, complaining, pacing the floor? Knowing his most difficult challenge, he was sound asleep. He understood this principle: even though there was an iron gate in front of him, there was no way he could get out on his own, he knew that God was his doorkeeper, that God had the remote control. So when he could have been panicked, frustrated, he was at rest. I've learned: when you rest, God goes to work. But when you work, when you're worried, stressed, "What am I going to do", God rest. Come back to a place of peace. God has the remote control to any door that you're facing. The enemy may have closed it, there's an iron gate, but God is the doorkeeper.
Herod did his best to keep Peter from getting out. What he didn't realize is: he couldn't keep God from coming in. The scripture says (Psalm 46:1), "God is a very present help in trouble". God comes with you in the prison, in the hospital, in the betrayal. While Peter was sleeping in the middle of the night, an angel showed up, walked over to Peter and woke him up. Notice how God comes to the dark places. He comes when you're hurting, when you're lonely, when life is not fair. You couldn't get to him, but God comes to you. He's with you right now. He has something in his hand - it's the remote control. He knows how to bring you out.
The moment the angel woke Peter up chains fell off his wrist. Angel didn't have a key, he didn't have big wire cutters, supernaturally the chains fell off. The angel told Peter to get dressed, and follow him. It's significant that none of the guards woke up. God is strategic. He knows how to hide you. He knows how to make you invisible to the enemy. The angel and Peter walked out of the dungeon, they passed the first set of guards, nobody saw them. They passed the second set of guards, same thing. Everything was great up to this point, but now they came to the iron gate. This was the big one, it secured the whole facility. I can imagine Peter thinking, "Oh, man what are we going to do now? We made it through those small doors, but this one looks impossible". The angel said, "Peter, just keep on walking".
They're walking toward a gate that's not opening, moving toward a gate that's made out of iron. Every thought was telling Peter, "You're stuck. Nothing's happening. There's no way to get out", but they just kept on walking. When they got to the gate, the scripture says (Acts 12:10), "The gate opened of its own accord". What happened? God hit the remote control. Herod thought he controlled the gate. He didn't realize: God was Peter's doorkeeper. There may be gates that are controlled by other people, but when it affects your destiny, God becomes the doorkeeper. Herod's men had control of that gate to a point, but when it affected Peter and his purpose, God said "I'll take the remote".
When you realize that God is your door keeper, that even iron gates, doors that look impossible, situations where you don't see a way out, that God has the remote control, then you can live in peace. You can stay in faith, knowing that God will get you to where you're supposed to be. Now, part of the test is when the gate is not moving, Peter kept walking. Didn't open up until he got to it. You have to keep walking by faith. The medical report is not improving, your child's not doing better, your dream's not any closer. That iron gate is staring at you. Thoughts are whispering, "You might as well go back. You made it through a couple closed door, but this big one it's not going to open". You see the iron, you saw the medical report, you know what your finances say. No, keep walking by faith and not by sight. When it's the right time, it's going to open of its own accord. You didn't have to force it, manipulate, strive, it will be the hand of God.
This is what happened with us in the Compaq Center. After working almost three years, one of our main votes backed out. Now we were one vote shy. The final vote was in a couple days. Didn't look like it would happen. Like Peter, this was an iron gate. We were tempted to think, "It's too late now. This gate is not going to open". Instead we just kept on walking. "God, we only have 24 hours left. We don't see a way, it looks impossible, but we know: you're our door keeper. You're the one that opens and closes doors". At the last minute, a lady I had never met called a council member that had been against us the whole time. He suddenly changed his mind, and we got the facility. The gate opened of its own accord. I didn't make it happen, it wasn't my skills, my talent. It was the hand of God moving on a lady that I didn't know, to call a council member on our behalf. She was able to do in five minutes what I couldn't do in three years.
You may not see any sign of that iron gate open, it looks immovable: the sickness, the addiction, how you can accomplish your dream? Just keep on walking by faith. Keep on thanking God. Keep on declaring his promises. Keep speaking victory. God is about to step in as your doorkeeper. It's going to be unusual, of its own accord it's going to open. It's not going to happen the way you think, with the people you think, how the experts think. You're not going to be able to explain it, you will know it is the hand of God.
What's interesting is: the whole time Peter was following the angel, he thought he was dreaming, he thought he was seeing himself leaving the dungeon, coming past the guards, the iron gate opening. He didn't realize it was real until he got out on the street, walking as a free man, then the angel suddenly disappeared. Sometimes while God is working, you don't realize all that's happening while you're in it. He's doing things right now that are leading you to open doors. Only after you get past it, you'll look back and think, "Wow, God, you were with me the whole time. You were ordering my steps. You brought that person across my path for a reason. You made me invisible to those people that weren't for me".
How many times have angels worked on our behalf, but we couldn't see it? Even now, God is working behind the scenes. There are doors he's about to open, doors to healing, doors to freedom, doors to abundance. Looks like an iron gate, but of its own accord it's going to open.
When Peter realized what happened, he walked to Mary's house where everyone was praying for him. It was the middle of the night, he knocked on the door, a young lady answered. She was so surprised to see Peter, she shut the door, ran back and told everyone Peter was there. I'm sure Peter thought, "Oh, God, not another closed door". Verse 16 says, "Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door, they were all amazed at what God had done". There are doors God is going to open for you that will amaze you. Now, don't be discouraged because they've been closed a long time - that was all a part of the process. God has not forgotten about you. The angel is about to show up. Iron gates are about to open. It's not going to be what you were thinking, it's going to be bigger, better, more fulfilling.
A friend of mine worked as a television news reporter. She had a really bad problem with rosacea, her skin would get so red, she couldn't find any kind of makeup that would keep it covered, and if she accidentally touched her face it would rub off, and not look good. She decided to quit her job, and try to develop makeup that would fix her problem. She came up with a product that she really loved. She and her husband tried to get funding, but bank after bank turned him down, told them how the cosmetic field was too competitive, because controlled by a few global companies, that there's no way they could break in. It was like an iron gate. She didn't see how it could ever open, but she did understand that God is our door keeper, that he can open doors that no person can shout.
Her dream was to get on QVC, one of the home shopping networks. She knew if people saw her product, that they would want it. She contacted QVC, but she was turned down again and again. There were so many people trying to get on. She was down to her last thousand dollars, didn't know what she was going to do. She went to a big cosmetic convention. She had a three feet wide booth, where she was showing people her product. Well, across the way QVC had a huge display. This older lady came by and said, "Honey, I love your product. I'm one of the buyers for QVC, I'm gonna go tell my staff we need to have you on".
She used her influence to open the door. This young lady went on QVC, her product took off, broke all kinds of records. My friend Jamie Kern, the founder of it cosmetics became a huge success. She was on QVC 200 times a year at that time. Her company is one of the largest cosmetic companies in the world.
Well years, later Jamie asked that lady: why she put in a good word for it? She said, "Jamie, I love your product, but it wasn't about the cosmetics. When I saw you that day, I heard God say to me: go help that young lady".
See, sometimes God will use people to open up iron gates. He has the right people already lined up for you. You may not even know them now, but they will come to you. They will use their influence to push you forward. You don't have to make it happen, you just keep honoring God, keep him first place, and the door keeper will open doors that no person can shut. Like Jamie, you may have worked hard, you prayed, believe, done all you can, but nothing has worked out. Get ready, I believe and declare: doors are about to open for you in your business, your health, your relationships, your finances. Like Peter, those iron gates, doors that look permanent of their own accord are about to suddenly open. Freedom, healing, the right people, new levels of your destiny, open doors, in Jesus name. And if you receive it, can you say amen today? Amen.