Recognize Who You Are | Joel Osteen
Recognize Who You Are
▪ ▪ well, God bless you.
It’s great to be with you today and I hope you’ll stay connected with us during the week through our daily podcast or youtube channels, social media and you can come visit us in person.
We’d love to have you be a part of one of our services.
But I’d like to start with something funny and I should mention this was sent to me by a woman, ▪ but according to the Alaska Department of Fish and game while both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer, male reindeer lose their antlers at the start of winter.
In early november, female reindeer keep their antlers all the way till spring.
This means all of santa’s reindeer from Rudolph to Blitzen had to be female.
She goes on to say we should have known that only a woman could drag around a fat man wearing a red velvet suit all over the world in one night and not get lost.
▪ ▪ I do not receive that at all. But here we go.
Say it like you mean it, this is my bible. I am what it says, I am.
I have what it says, I have, I can do what it says, I can do today.
I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess my mind is alert. My heart is receptive.
I will never be the same in jesus name. God bless you.
▪ I want to talk to you today about recognizing who you are.
It’s easy to go through life being defined by how we were raised what we saw model growing up what people have said or mistakes we’ve made.
We end up wearing these labels average not talented. Unattractive to short.
This distorted image is keeping us from who God created us to be.
How you see yourself will determine how high you will go.
It’s possible to live your whole life and never recognize who you really are.
▪ The scripture says before we were formed in our mother’s womb.
God knew us before you showed up on planet Earth God already decided who you would be.
He already laid out a purpose for your life. You came through your mother, She gave you birth.
But you came from Almighty God. He gave you life. God didn’t create anyone average. He calls you a masterpiece.
He put greatness in you. There is potential on the inside that you’ve not yet tapped into.
But if this is going to happen, you can’t see yourself as weak, lacking inadequate tune all that out and get an agreement with God.
How about seeing yourself as a masterpiece. One of a kind valuable instead of lacking unqualified. No, I’m equipped empowered.
I have everything I need to fulfill my assignment.
Don’t let a distorted image of who you are keep you from your purpose.
▪ When I was 20 years old, I went to India with my father was my first time being overseas one evening I was sitting on the beach by myself watching the sun go down.
It was so beautiful, almost surreal.
Miles of pure white sand swaying palm trees, glistening blue water, the sun was huge on the horizon, just about to set.
I remember the distinct smells, the saltwater from the ocean spray and the smoke from people grilling on the beach and the marijuana from the hippies getting high.
▪ The longer I stayed the better I felt. But ▪ it looked like a postcard.
I had never seen anything so magnificent.
And the thought came to my mind about how God is such an amazing painter, Such an amazing artist as I was sitting there and just reflecting, thinking about my life.
I heard God asked me something not out loud, but just an impression in my spirit. He said Joel.
You think this is a beautiful picture, do you? I said, yes, God, it’s a magnificent picture.
He said, what do you think my most prized painting would be my most incredible creation?
I thought about it a moment. Said God, it must be this, this is beautiful.
He said, no it’s not this sunset.
Earlier that year I’d been in the Rocky Mountains and they were so beautiful.
I said, I bet it’s the Rocky Mountains. He said no, it’s not that I thought what could it be?
The Grand Canyon, The Milky Way, the solar system. He said, no, Joel. My most prized creation.
The one I’m the most proud of is you? ▪ I thought me, it couldn’t be me.
