Room Enough

Pastor Joel @ Lakewood Church

Just because you have opposition doesn't mean God isn't with you. 

...because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.

1 Corinthians 16:9 NIV

DAVID

When David was annointed he wasn't sent a mentor, he was sent a giant  (an obstacle). No one celebrated David after he was annointed but his victory got everyone's attention. (When you beat the cancer, pay the house off, etc...people will see God's favor on your life.) The giant will establish you and give you a new level of influence.

ISSAC

• The philistines saw how successful he was and got jealous...they clogged his wells and the king banished him so he had to start all over. The blessing is not on your location it's on you. So when you make adjustments to keep the peace good things will happen. When you do the right thing when the wrong thing is happening good things will happen.

...But the herders of Gerar quarreled with those of Isaac and said, "The water is ours!" So he named the well Esek, because they disputed with him.

Genesis 26:20 NIV

• One day, as Isaac's servants were digging in the valley, they came on a well of spring water. The shepherds of Gerar quarreled with Isaac's shepherds, claiming, "This water is ours." So Isaac named the well Esek (Quarrel) because they quarreled over it. They dug another well and there was a difference over that one also, so he named it Sitnah (Accusation). He went on from there and dug yet another well. But there was no fighting over this one so he named it Rehoboth (Wide-Open Spaces), saying, "Now God has given us plenty of space to spread out in the land." From there he went up to Beersheba. That very night God appeared to him and said, I am the God of Abraham your father; don't fear a thing because I'm with you. I'll bless you and make your children flourish because of Abraham my servant.

Genesis 26:19‭-‬24 MSG

• Some battles aren't worth fighting.

• We're not called to straighten everyone out. Most arguments are distractions.

• To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.

Luke 6:29 NKJV

• Ignore critics, maintain your dignity, and rise higher.

• A crow could never fly as high has an eagle. The only way to argue with a crow is to sink down to their level. A crow could never go where you're going.

• God opposes those who oppose you.

• Taking the high road is a sign of strength even though some see it as weakness.

• Some people know what buttons to push in order to set you off. Do yourself a favor and turn those buttons off.

• It is to one's honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.

Proverbs 20:3 NIV

Where there's strife and division little things will turn into big things. 

Victoria Osteen @ Lakewood Church

Restlessness

• Sometimes you dont feel satisfied even when we're moving in the right direction.

• Looking to feel our spaces in all the wrong places when Jesus is our strength...not alcohol, not social media, not food. Now all of those things can be good and fun unless you're using it for the wrong reason.

• The line of success is always moving so we shouldn't chase it because it will never fulfill us. We shouldn't give up on success either especially if we're doing it for the wrong reason.

• I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:11‭-‬13 NIV

• Paul didn't let prison take him captive.

• Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6‭-‬7 NIV

• Contentment is not complacency. If you can't enjoy what you have and where you are then you're missing out. 

• Don't miss the now to get to the later.

• Contentment is a state of mind and has nothing to do with where you are.

• All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.

Proverbs 15:15 NIV

Had to leave at the end so I'll have to add to these notes later!

Praying for Others

Joel @ Lakewood 

• I have the ability to help others reach their goals.

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

James 5:16 NKJV

• Coworkers, workout partners, neighbors, and etc have been placed in your life on purpose.

And the Lord restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

Job 42:10 NKJV 

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2 NKJV

• We weren't meant to carry loads alone and prayers help to lighten the load.

• What you do in secret, God will reward you out in the open.

• Prayer moves God's hands.

• Prayer is powerful and makes heaven come to a standstill.

And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand.

Revelation 8:4 NKJV

• James and Peter were in the same situation but scripture makes no reference of anyone praying for James and they had different results.

Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during  the Days of Unleavened Bread. So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover. Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, "Arise quickly!" And his chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, "Gird yourself and tie on your sandals"; and so he did. And he said to him, "Put on your garment and follow me." So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

Acts 12:1‭-‬10 NKJV

• You are 10 times more powerful when someone is praying for you. 

How could one chase a thousand, And two put ten thousand to flight, Unless their Rock had sold them, And the Lord had surrendered them? For their rock is not like our Rock, Even our enemies themselves being judges.

Deuteronomy 32:30‭-‬31 

• Stand in the gap for others.

So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.

Ezekiel 22:30 NKJV

Cities used to be surrounded by walls and a gap would allow the enemy easy access so they'd position their strongest warrior there until it could be repaired.

• It's easy to find fault and criticize but can you be the strong warrior.

Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, "Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it. " When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, "I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!"

Luke 7:6‭-‬9 NKJV

• Don't forget about the people who stand in the gap for you.

But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house. Now it came to pass on the third day, which  was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. Then he restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand. But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

Genesis 40:14‭, ‬20‭-‬23 

Nevertheless I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of the hand of your son.

I Kings 11:12 NKJV

Commanded to be Blessed

Joel Osteen @ Lakewood Church

The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Deuteronomy 28:8 KJV

When God commands you to be blessed circumstances don't matter. All of the circumstances can be against you. 

Get in agreement with God.

When it's your time the commanded blessing will override any force against you. 

God can use your enemies to bless you. People don't have the final say,  God does.

And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.

Numbers 22:12 KJV

It's easy to think that unfair circumstances can cloud your future.

When the enemy tells you all of the reasons why you will fail respond with God's promises.

The enemy wants you to curse YOUR OWN future with negative words and negative thinking.

This was the message Balaam delivered: "Balak summoned me to come from Aram; the king of Moab brought me from the eastern hills. 'Come,' he said, 'curse Jacob for me! Come and announce Israel's doom.' But how can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I condemn those whom the Lord has not condemned? I see them from the cliff tops; I watch them from the hills. I see a people who live by themselves, set apart from other nations. Who can count Jacob's descendants, as numerous as dust? Who can count even a fourth of Israel's people? Let me die like the righteous; let my life end like theirs." Then King Balak demanded of Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies. Instead, you have blessed them!" But Balaam replied, "I will speak only the message that the Lord puts in my mouth."

Numbers 23:7‭-‬12 NLT

And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:  And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.

Deuteronomy 28:1‭-‬2 KJV

"Master," Simon replied, "we worked hard all last night and didn't catch a thing. But if you say so, I'll let the nets down again." And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear!

Luke 5:5‭-‬6 NLT

Ruth

Financial Business

Change has to take place in our thinking.