“As long as you’re living in regret, focused on the negative things of the past, you won’t move ahead to the bright future God has in store. You need to let go of what didn’t work out. Let go of your hurts and pains. Let go of your mistakes and failures. You can’t do anything about the past, but you can do something about right now.”
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Joel Osteen
“(after listening to people gripe and complain just smile and remember)
Crows can’t hang with eagles.”
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Joel Osteen
“A lady told me about one of her husband’s relatives who was very opinionated. He was always making these cutting, demeaning remarks about her. This couple hadn’t been married that long. Every time they went to family get-togethers, this relative would say something to offend her. She would get all upset and it would ruin the day. She reached the point where she refused to even go to family events. Finally, she told her husband, “You’ve got to do something about that man. He’s your relative.” She was expecting her husband to say, “You’re right, honey. He shouldn’t talk to you like that. I will set him straight.” But the husband did just the opposite. He said, “Honey, I love you but I cannot control him. He has every right to have his opinion. He can say what he wants to, but you have every right to not get offended.” At first she couldn’t understand why her husband wouldn’t really stick up for her. Time and time again she would become upset. If this relative was in one room she would go to another. If he went outside she would make sure she stayed inside. She was always focused on avoiding this man. One day she realized she was giving away her power. It was like a light turned on in her mind. She was allowing one person with issues to keep her from becoming who she was meant to be. When you allow what someone says or does to upset you, you’re allowing them to control you. When you say, “You make me so mad,” what you’re really doing is admitting that you’re giving away your power. As long as that person knows they can push this button and you’ll respond this way, you are giving them exactly what they want. When you allow what someone says or does to upset you, you’re allowing them to control you. People have a right to say what they want, to do what they want, as long as it’s legal. But we have a right to not get offended. We have a right to overlook it. But when we get upset and go around angry, we change. What’s happening is we’re putting too much importance on what they think about us. What they say about you does not define who you are. Their opinion of you does not determine your self-worth. Let that bounce off of you like water off of a duck’s back. They have every right to have their opinion, and you have every right to ignore it.”
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Joel Osteen
“When you acknowledge God, He will go before you and make the crooked places straight.”
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Joel Osteen
“Don’t be impatient. It’s not over until God says it’s over.”
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Joel Osteen
“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 CORINTHIANS 9:6–7”
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Joel Osteen
“You’re not being responsible with what God gave you if you’re hanging out with time wasters who have no goals and no dreams.”
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Joel Osteen
“If you can see the invisible, God will do the impossible.”
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Joel Osteen
“Too often we talk ourselves out of God’s best. We allow doubts, fears, and discouraging things people have said to limit us and convince us to settle where we are. Negative voices always speak the loudest.”
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Joel Osteen
“One touch of His (God’s) favor can put you fifty years ahead of where you thought you’d be.”
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Joel Osteen
“The Scripture says that God wants to pour out “His far and beyond favor.”1 God wants this to be the best time of your life. But if you are going to receive this favor, you must enlarge your vision. You can’t”
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Joel Osteen
“It doesn’t matter what it looks like in the natural; God is a supernatural God. He’s not limited by your resources, by your environment, by your education, by your nationality. If you’ll have a big vision, God will not only do what you’re dreaming about, He will do more than you can ask or think.”
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Joel Osteen