Wake Up Your Dreams | Joel Osteen | Lakewood Church Service

((music playing)) You fight the battle. You get the glory. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) Come on Lakewood, let's worship together. Come on. ((music playing)) They said it couldn't be done. That this giant was just too strong. They said you don't have a chance. But there's something they don't understand. Armies rise, battles rage. They're going to bow at the sound of one name.

When we praise, they all fall. Our victories in the Almighty God. Let's declare. I've got the victory. I've got the victory. I've got this power in me. They're going to hear me say I've got the victory. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) ((music playing)) ((music playing)) They're going to hear me say, "I got the victory." Hey, good morning everyone.

Welcome to Lakewood today. How many of you ready to worship the Lord this morning? God's been good to us all and what a what a joy to have you here today. Uh we appreciate you coming out and more importantly, I know you came to worship God and and he saw you take the time to come."

I love that scripture. It says that God is a rewarder of those that diligently seek after him. And I believe that's all of you. There's a lot of things you could be doing, but you said, "I'm going to go to the house of the Lord." So, I hope you know that God's smiling down on you today.

And and it's our honor to have you here. And so many join us online and live listening on SiriusXM. But we're going to have a great time today. And I'll remind you what I remind myself when you come into a new day and especially you come to church, it's a perfect time to let go of all the old or the negative, I should say.

You know, there's something we could all be worried about or, you know, guilty about or something in our future. But I've learned this. If you'll empty out the negative, God will fill you with fresh joy and fresh peace and even fresh vision. You know, the scripture puts it this way.

It says, "Cast your burdens on the Lord. Release the weight of it and God will sustain you." I think sometimes we're holding on to things. God, you got to take this. But God's saying, "Why don't you give that to me? Why don't you come back to a place of peace?"

That's when you'll you'll just feel that lift off of you and then God can fill you a fresh and a new. And we always want you to leave better than you came. That's our declaration that not one of us will go out of here the same way. You're going to go out of here with more joy, more peace, and more victory in Jesus name.

Thanks for coming out today. Amen. It is good to be in the house of the Lord, isn't it? You guys look great today. It's a good day to be in church. Amen. It's a good day to remind oursel of where our strength and source really comes from. You know, sometimes we can look around and we see our jobs or our relationships and they're great.

There's support. They're great, but that's not our real source of strength. I love what David said. He said, "I know where my help comes from. It comes from the maker of heaven and earth. So, I'm going to lift my eyes." And today I just encourage us to do like David did to take our eyes off of the things that may try to distract us because sometimes we think that that person will just start acting right.

If this situation would just clear itself up. But you know what? That's not where our real resources come from. Our strength and our support. They come from Almighty God. So, let's make that choice today to look away from maybe what would distract us or or dilute our faith and let's really choose to set our eyes on our real health.

Let's lift our eyes to him this morning and let's worship him because he is a God of strength. He's a God of wisdom. He's a God of healing. He's a God of whatever you need today. He is your source. Amen. Let's enter in with praise and worship. Father, we thank you this morning that you are our source of strength.

You are the real source of everything that we need. And God, we thank you for the blessings that you've placed in our life, for the people, the job, the relationship. But God, those cannot sustain us. It is only you, Father, who can sustain us and give us life.

So we look to you, Father, and we thank you that you are the author and the finisher of our faith. And today as we praise you, Father, we want these praises and this gratitude to go up to you to be a sweet smelling sacrifice because God, we want to surrender it all today.

We want to remind ourself of who you are in our life. And it's in Jesus name we pray. And everyone said, "Amen." ((music playing)) They said we'd never be free. Our failure was guaranteed. They said, "oh don't hold your breath," but I've seen our God's faithfulness. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) ((music playing)) we praise, chains will fall.

Our victory's in the Almighty God. I got the victory. I got the victory. I got ((music playing)) ((music playing)) say, "I got the victory." Anybody have their victory in this place this morning? Shall we sing? I'm not running. I'm not running. All of my enemies got another thing coming. I'm not running.

I'm not running. with the Lord on my side, I ((music playing)) ((music playing)) ((music playing)) I got the victory. I got the ((music playing)) They're gonna hear me say ((music playing)) ((music playing)) Thank you, Lord. I got the victory. Hey, y'all sound like overcomers this morning. Hey, I wish I could tell you. Wish I could describe it, but I can't contain it.

Can't keep it to myself. There aren't enough colors to paint the whole picture. They're not enough words to ever say what I found. Wonderful and beautiful and glorious and holy. He is merciful, powerful. Who we talking about? That's my king. We declare the glory and give him all the honor.

He's all together worthy. Who we talking about? That's my king. ((music playing)) Yes, we will adore you. All of this is for you. Who we talking about? That's my king. Jesus, you're my king. Hey, I'm not letting the rocks cry without joining the chorus. They're not enough notes to make the harmony.

It's the song of the angels. Song of the ages. All of the earth and heaven's symphony. Wonderful and beautiful and glorious and holy. He is merciful and powerful. Who we talking about? That's my king. Hey, we declare the glory and give him all the honor. He's all together worthy.

Who we talking about? That's my king. There's no one before you. Yes, we will adore you. All of this is for you. Who we talking about? That's my king. ((music playing)) That's my king. That's my God. That's my shepherd, my protector. That's my king. That's my rock. That's my anchor, my defender.

That's my king. ((music playing)) That's my shepherd, my protector. That's my king. That's my rock. That's my anchor, my defender. Who we talking about? Hey, we declare the glory. Come on. Give him all the honor. All together worthy. Who we talking about? We declare glory. Give him all the honor.

All together worthy. Who we talking about? ((music playing)) before you. Yes, we will adore you. All this is for you. Who we talking about? Who we talking about? Who we talking about? Who we talking about? Who we talking about? Who we talking about? Who we talking about? Who we talking about?

That's my king. Miracles when you move. Such an easy thing for you to do. And your hand is moving right now. You are still showing up at the tomb of every Lazarus. Your voice is calling me out. And right now I know you're able. And my God, come through again.

You can do all things. You can do all things but fail cuz you never lost a battle. No, you never lost a battle. I know. I know you never will. Oh, you never will. Let's sing it together, everything. Everything's possible by the power of the Holy Ghost. A new wind is blowing right now.

Breaking my heart of stone. Taking over like it's Jericho. My walls are all crashing down right now. I know you're able. My God, come through again. You can do all things. You can do all things but fail. Cuz you never lost a battle. No, you better lost a battle.

((music playing)) You can do all things. You can do all things but fail. Cuz you never lost a battle ((music playing)) and I know, I know you never ((music playing)) a battle. You never lost a battle. You never lost a battle. You never lost a battle. You never lost a battle. You never lost a battle.

You never will. Come on, say with me. Hey, you never lost a battle. You never lost a battle. Never lost a battle. You never lost a battle. So, you never will. Oh, you never lost a battle. You never lost a battle. You never lost a battle. Say, "you never will."

Oh, you never lost a battle. You never lost a battle. You never lost a battle. Oh, you can ((music playing)) you can ((music playing)) You never ((music playing)) ((music playing)) You can't do all things but fail. You never lost a battle. You never lost a battle. ((music playing)) Somebody give the Lord a praise in the place today.

How many of you know that he wins all battles? He loses no battle. But how many of you know he'll never ever lose a battle? Hallelujah. So glad about that. And I'm so glad that he always causes us to triumph. That we are overcomers today. And through him, how many you know that we can win our battles today?

Hallelujah. By the power of the spirit of God. Thank you, Lord. I'm telling you, I don't know where I would be without the Lord. I don't know where I would be. We need him every day. And this kind of reminds me of a song that uh that came out not too long ago. says, "I never would have made it."

I never could have made it without you. I would have lost it all. But now I see you were there for me. Help me say I never would have made it. Oh, I never could have made it. Never would have made it without you. I would have lost my mind a long time ago, if it had not been for you, Lord.

Oh, but now I'm stronger. I'm wiser. I'm wiser. I'm better. So much better. When I take time to look over everything you brought me through, Lord, I know it was you, Lord. I was able to hold on to. I'm stronger. I'm wiser. I'm better, so much better. Cuz I made it.

I made it. I made it. I made it. I made it. Oh. ((music playing)) Oh. ((music playing)) Never would have made it. How many of you believe that today? Say that I never could have made it without you. Said I would have lost it all. Hallelujah. But now I see you were there for me.

((music playing)) Everything changes here in the presence of the king. Everything changes. Jesus has all authority. Everything changes here in the presence of the king. Everything changes. Yes, it does. Jesus has all authority. So I'm not gonna leave it. No, I'm not going to let go. I'm expecting a breakthrough.

I'm going to see my miracle. No, I'm not going to leave it. I'm not going to let go. I'm expecting a breakthrough. Can we sing? Everything changes. Yes, it does. Here in the presence of the king. Everything changes. Everything changes. Jesus has all authority. So I'm not going to leave here.

No, I'm not going to leave it. No, I'm not going to let go. I'm expecting a breakthrough. Expectation! ((music playing)) So, I'm not going to leave here. No, I'm not going to let go. ((music playing)) I'm not going to let go. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) ((music playing)) ((music playing)) ((music playing)) Oh, everything changes when we're in the presence of our King.

His fullness of joy. Everything changes. Ooh, everything changes here in the presence of the king. Everything changes. Jesus has all authority. So we declare, I'm going to wait right here till my breakthrough comes. I'll praise til the chains fall off. Going to wait right here till my breakthrough comes.

I'll praise til the chains fall off. I'm going to wait right here till the breakthrough comes. I'll praise til the chains fall off. I'm going to wait right here till my breakthrough comes. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) ((music playing)) ((music playing)) ((music playing)) Lord God, we love you today. Lord, thank you for another day to be alive and to be here with friends and family.

Lord, we know you woke us up this morning and you gave us breath to breathe and strength to get out of bed. And Lord, we're not here with a sad song. We're here to thank you for all that you've done. Lord, we know you're the giver of all good things.

And we return with a heart filled with gratitude. Lord to say thank you just for breath to breathe our family opportunity life to live and Lord we look back in our life and we can see your goodness where you made ways and you opened doors you protected us Lord we've been in the palm of your hand the whole time and we recognize Lord that's why we're here today because of your goodness and your mercy and we start the week off saying it publicly that you're our Lord our God and our Savior make us and mold us into who you want us to be.

Father, I thank you that you're going before us right now, making crooked places straight, opening right doors and closing wrong doors, and bringing the right people across our path. And Lord, weed out those that shouldn't be there. I thank you that we have clear direction, the mind of Christ, a spirit of wisdom and discernment, that we know good decisions for our life, Lord, that we will make choices that honor you and move you toward our God-given destiny.

Lord, I thank you that as we're worshiping you this morning, that every force that's tried to stop us has been broken in the name of Jesus. depression, anxiety, addiction, sicknesses, trouble at work, at home, in our finances. Father, we believe today is a breakthrough day. That you're doing what only you can do.

Lord, our eyes are upon you today. Some of the challenges look too big, too strong. But Lord, we know nothing's too hard for you. That you're breathing in our direction right now. And Lord, I just speak fresh vision into your people, fresh anointing, fresh favor, fresh momentum, fresh growth.

Lord, whatever the week took out of them, I thank you that you are filling them a fresh and a new. Not for an average week, but Lord, for a blessed week that they'll be a blessing at whatever they put their hands to. And Father, I do lift up those that are fighting battles in their health. those not feeling well, some watching, listening from the hospitals.

Lord, you said you'd restore health back to your people. So Lord, I pray right now and thank you that healing is flowing into all those that need it. Lord, into our bones, our joints, our ligaments, Lord, I thank you that you can do even what medicine cannot do.

That you have the final say. Lord, you said with long life you would satisfy us. So Lord, we just receive that healing, strength, and vitality. And Lord, not just physically, but I lift up those that have gone through loss, those that are in tough times. Father, you said you're close to the brokenhearted.

I ask that they feel your presence right now, that you are comforting them, giving them that peace that only you can give. Lord, even though it may feel like it's the end, let them see it's really a new beginning. That you're still in control. That weeping endures for a night, but joy is coming in the morning.

And Lord, I thank you. The joy is on the way in Jesus' name. Lord, you've done great things in the past, but we believe, declare the best is still yet to come. 2026, a year of your favor, a blessed, bountiful, prosperous year. that we are victors and never victims in Jesus' name.

And if you receive it, can you say amen today? So awesome to have you in the house of the Lord. Thanks for being here. Every week we make a declaration of faith to just to basically say what God says about us. So come on, say it like you mean it.

I am blessed, prosperous, redeemed, forgiven, healthy, whole, talented, creative, confident, secure, focused, prepared, qualified, motivated, valuable, free, determined, equipped, empowered, anointed, accepted, and approved. Not average, not mediocre. I am a child of the most high God. I will become all I was created to be in Jesus' name.

Amen. And amen. I love saying that cuz like I said, it helps us to get back to who God says we are. But you know, in life, people can put labels on you. You know, average, mediocre, addicted, talented. But do yourself a favor, take all those things off and go back to to what God says about you.

I'm redeemed. I'm forgiven. and I'm smart. God calls you a masterpiece. God calls you a prize possession. The enemy would love for us to go around with the wrong recording playing in our mind, but you know, I believe that's not me. That's not you. The right recording is what God says about us.

So, you get in tune with God. That's what'll help you to rise higher in life. Before we pray today, I was thinking about I read this scripture. Every time I read it, script it sticks out to me. It says in Psalms, "The strength of the ungodly is being cut off, but the power of the righteous is being increased."

I think about you guys cuz you're on the right side. You're the you're the righteous. You're the ones hungry and thirsting after God. So, you know, anything that's coming against you today, and and I don't mean just people, but sometimes it's it's a sickness or it's a trouble at work.

You know, there's some difficulty maybe in a financial or career situation, but you know, in your eyes of faith, you just got to know that strength that's given that energy that is being cut off and your power is being increased. God is breathing in your direction. You know what I've learned is sometimes when something's power is cut off, it doesn't go away immediately, but you just give it a little time and it's going to start dying down.

It's going to start getting lower and lower. And you know what? You're gonna get stronger and stronger and you know, you'll come into that day where you'll see the hand of God and you know it was his favor that turned it around. Let me tell you, God being for you is more than anything that's trying to stop you.

God saw you show up today. Show up at church. Tune in listening on the radio. He saw you take this step of faith. And you know, the enemy works in our mind. Well, it's never going to change. You can't get well. You've seen your best days. Tune all that out.

Know that God is breathing on you right now. 2026 is going to be a year of his favor. Open doors. God turning some situations around. Maybe even things you thought could never work out. But just watch what God can do. He has the final say. I love that.

When we believe, all things are possible. Let's be believers and not doubters. Amen. Well, we'll take a moment to pray individually today. If you need prayer, we'd love to stand in agreement with you. So during this next song, anyone's welcome to come to the front of your section.

There'll be some prayer partners there. They'd be honored to pray for you. And rest of you, you're welcome to be seated if you'd like, but come on down if you need prayer. Our beautiful online family listening live on SiriusXM, thanks for being a part. Beautiful Victoria is there to pray for you as well.

We are so glad that you have joined us this morning and we're excited that we get to join our faith with yours and pray that God would just bless you in ways you can't even imagine. That he'd heal your body. He'd restore your marriage. He would just do what only he can do.

You know, and that's the thing about God. You know, we can't always cause our dreams, our desires, our wants to come to pass. Sometimes even our hands are tied. But I want to remind you this morning that God's hands are never tied. And it says in Philippians that we are to bring our requests to God.

Make our requests known, which is pray with thanksgiving in our heart. And you know, I love the fact that God says with thanksgiving in our heart. We're not thankful for the things that we don't like in our life, the hard things, the challenges. That's not what it's saying.

It is saying that we should have a thankful heart that we can come to God that we can pray and that we can believe that he will move in our life. In fact, it says that people who pray and and believe God have good results. It says it this way that the effectual and fervent prayer of a righteous person availth much.

It means it produces in your life. So today when you pray, expect God to do a miracle. I'm not saying he's going to do it in 5 minutes. He might not do it in 5 days, but I'll tell you what, God is faithful and he will do it.

He will do what you need him to do in your life. He's always got your best interest at heart. Today, I want to start with a couple praise reports that we've already got. Now, if you need prayer, would you put it in the chat? Because I believe it says something when we write down and we make our requests to God. put it in the chat and be grateful that he not only hears you, but he knows everything.

He says he knows every hair on your head. He said, "If I know when a sparrow falls from the sky, you have to believe that I know exactly where you are." And so today, I choose I choose to believe that God sees me. I choose to believe that I'm in the palm of his hand.

And I choose to believe when I talk to him, he responds. And I hope you make that same choice today because God is a faithful God. Listen, we've got a praise report from Elizabeth and she says that she woke up this morning feeling the best she has felt in a couple of years.

Now, I love that, Elizabeth, because you're not going to let the blessing of God pass you by until you give thanks for it. And I think that is so beautiful that you recognize that you feel good and you give thanks and praise for that. I believe that that's the kind of faith that God really really responds to when we don't just overlook the miracles that he's placed in our life.

Those small little seemingly insignificant things, but we are willing to give him thanks and gratitude in our heart. Natalie says, "God healed her great great niece from uh from a disease she has no more chest tube or feeding tube." So, uh, we rejoice with you, Natalie, and your granddaughter and your daughter.

And we just are so grateful that God is still in the miracle working business today. He still performs miracles. And so, we just want to thank you for giving those praise reports. And the reason we do want to tell you that God is still doing miracles is to get your faith up because you may for a long time, even like Elizabeth, she says, "I woke up feeling the best I have in a couple of years."

Well, you may have been praying for something for a couple of years. But I want you to know that you keep praying. You hold fast your profession of faith. And just like Elizabeth, one day you're going to wake up and you're going to go, "Oh my goodness, thank you, Lord.

I see it. I feel it. and I'm experiencing your goodness. We have some uh praise reports already. Joanne, she's she needs healing from uh kidneys for her kidneys. Uh Cheryl, her friend was just diagnosed with cancer. So Joanna, we want to believe that your kidneys will begin to function normally like they were intended to.

And Cheryl, we just want to stand in faith with you and stand against that cancer in your friend's body. Cindy, she has u she needs a breakthrough in her financial business in her business in her finances. And Aaron needs a financial breakthrough as well. And I don't know exactly what you need need.

Maybe you're fighting some anxiety or depression or someone in your family is or whatever it is. Let's pray right now because I don't have to call out what you need. You can give it to God. You put it in his hands. And I believe that's where that safekeeping place that that he'll take care of it.

So right now, join my faith. I'm going to join my faith with yours and I'm going to believe for miracles. Father, I just lift up Joanna right now and Cheryl, Cindy, and Aaron and all those out there, Father, who have requests that they are making for you. Lord, I just believe that you are the healer.

You're the one who gives us breakthrough. You're the one who restores. And Father, our our choice and our ability is to pray with a thankful heart. And that's what we're going to do today. We're going to let these requests, whatever they are, let them bubble up right now.

Whatever it is, God, what do you need God to do for you, Father? We're giving these things to you right now. And Lord, I don't know where my brothers and sisters are right now. if they're in their car, if they're in their living rooms, or wherever they are right now, even watching this later.

Father, I just believe that there's no distance in prayer. And Father, that you can heal, you deliver, you set free, and Father, you just work miracles. So, that's what I'm asking you for today, Lord. I'm asking you to do miracles in the lives of those that you love.

And Father, you love everyone who is looking at you today, who is turning their thoughts to you today. Father, that pleases you. because you beckon us. You tell us, "Come." You say, "Tell me what you need." Father, it's not in our goodness and our performance, but it's in your goodness and your mercy that we ask these things.

And Father, I thank you that you will do what only you can do, that you'll work miracles, that you'll bring about good, that you'll bring about turnaround. And so, Father, we place it in your hand today in Jesus name we pray. Amen. Hold fast your profession of faith.

We're standing with you. ((music playing)) He will never fail. Oh, I trust in God. My Savior, the one who will never fail. He will never fail. ((music playing)) I trust in God. ((music playing)) So good, Cindy. Hey, great to have you Lakewood. You can take a seat if you'd like. I want you to meet some friends of mine if you don't mind.

These two gentlemen are helping to impact the world, changing the culture. Mr. Andy Erwin here, he's a film producer, a movie maker. You've seen his films, I Can Only Imagine, and uh Jesus Revolution. A lot of great things he has done. Your brother's done great things. Say hello real quick.

Hey guys, it's good to be with family this morning. You're going to get your bald head quota today. So, let's go. Let's go. Mr. Tim Timmons here. He's a great songwriter, a great worship leader, and just doing great things all over the world. These guys have a great spirit.

They're here with us today cuz Andy's got the new movie coming out. I can only imagine two. And I don't know, you probably saw the first one. I can only imagine the original. Man, it just broke every record. But I like these these guys or these gentlemen. They're, you know, they're in the culture.

You know, I have a gift to speak here in the church, but you know, they're out there in the movie theaters and in the, you know, different areas. But anyway, great to have you. Tell me what the movie's about. Yeah, it's so good to be with you, Joel.

You've made such an impact. You, Victoria, the whole the whole church community here has made an impact on the stories that we tell. And uh the first I can only imagine was How many people saw the first one? All right, great. Uh the first one was really about you know experiencing healing in your family relationship that resulted in this moment of hope.

It had that rush of hope. Uh and it was just so amazing to see the phenomenon that that was that we thought there was you know there's no more story to tell. We felt it was done. Uh but there's a a wonderful lady here Cindy Bond. Wave wave Cindy.

Uh Cindy uh has this prophetic gift and maybe some of you have that of being able to see things before they happen and to see what God could do. And she came back and said, "I'm just telling you there's more story to tell." And she sat down with me and then Brett Mccoral that ended up directing the movie with me that did Jesus Revolution with my brother.

And she said, "Do you know the story of Even If?" And I said, "I love the song. you know, if if I can only imagine it was about hope for the life after this, even if it's about hope for today, but I don't know the story behind it."

She's like, "You need to look into that." As we began to explore the story, uh, the happily ever after that we gave Bart in this one, we break that happily ever after. And we asked that question of, "What if you're happily ever after breaks? What if you get everything you ever dreamed and then the crowd stops cheering and you go home and something goes back to being hard?

What if you lose hope or you feel like you're losing hope?" And that spoke to my soul. And Bart's struggling as a father. And this guy Tim Timmons comes into his world as the opening act uh for his story. And Tim's carrying his own uh struggles in secret that come out in the movie.

But Tim gives him this gift of gratitude. This idea of being grateful for today. And because of that, that gives Bart his hope back and resulted in that song that we all love. You're in for a treat. It's out in theaters Friday. It's It's amazing. Ah. I love that.

Tim, what do you think? What do I think, man? I think yes. I think Jesus was bald and I feel like, you know, I'm pretty convinced about that. I don't want to any anybody else Jesus. No. Okay. Yeah. I I am so honored to be a part of this.

I was given 5 years to live 25 years ago. Uh incurable cancer, stage 4, and there are still tumors on my liver wearing out my heart today, they say. But guess who woke up today? You know, I got another day, people. And apparently you did, too. And if you're watching online, you got you woke up again, too.

If you're not breathing, call the doctor or something. But like, we we got up again, people. Right. I I write this X on my wrist every morning, which is a big part of the movie. But I I just got another day. I I don't know what tomorrow looks like.

I don't. But I got to wake up again today and my one job today is just to join Jesus and what he's doing in the grief and in the joy. I get to walk with Jesus and just join him. So that this the movie is really invites people into walking with Jesus.

You know, Tim, it's it's amazing. We were talking earlier about it's kind of like my mom. She lived 44 years after a terminal diagnosis. But you know, you could be bitter, you could be angry. God, why did it happen? But man, you're full of life and full of joy. you travel the country and sing, but uh you know, it may not happen our way, but God is still in control and you can still shine brightly no matter what situation you're in.

Yeah. What if he's actually real? I know it sounds so silly like on this show, but like what if God's actually real? Like actually Jesus is actually the same spirit that raised him from the dead is actually alive and well in me and in you and we just get to wake up and join him in that.

I mean, that's a great that's a different way of looking at life. So, life is hard and life is I just we all know life is hard and God is at work in all things. That's so good. Uh we were talking earlier too about something's happening now in in Hollywood or in the entertainment field.

You know, I I say this respectfully, but years and years ago, some of the Christian movies would be a little subpar. We were all part of the cheese. So, yeah, I get it. But it's not like that anymore. It's a new standard. and y'all got their attention. Any any thoughts on that?

Uh guys, uh there is a revival happening right now in movie theaters. And I think a lot of people thought that, you know, we'd have never never given a seat at the table as Christians. But if you look at the history of the arts and how for 2,000 years, Christianity led the arts.

You go through every cathedral in Europe, you look at every painting of the Renaissance, the first thing printed on the printing press was a Gutenberg Bible. So God has always been at work in the arts. I just think we lost the dream or the vision for a little while and God's giving it back.

Uh yeah. Um you know, for there's a group of us that got into it around 2004 when Mel Gibson did the Passion of the Christ. There was a group of us as Christians that were like, "Well, we want to do that. How do we do that?" And we've been figuring it out as we go along.

Um for me, the dream started a few years before that with my brother. Uh I was at a missions conference in college and they had uh people come forward to to to say that they want to be missionaries. And I walked the aisle, went forward and said, "God, I'll be a missionary."

And the person talking to me after that uh knew me a little bit better than I knew myself. And he said, "Andy, do you want to be a missionary?" I was like, "Absolutely not." I was like, "But I figured to be a good Christian, this is what I have to do to serve God."

And he said, "Andy, what's in your hand?" And I've been watching the camera guys moving around. These are my people. This is where I started. And uh you guys are fantastic at your job. But that was my job. I was a cameraman. And I Yeah, give them a hand.

They're doing an amazing work. And I said, well, he said, Andy, what's in your hand? And I said, well, a camera, but I don't know how God could ever use that. And he said, Andy, give God what's in your hand. Let him figure out how to use it.

And so, there might be those of you watching or listening that you're like, I don't know what I have to offer God. Give him what's in your hand. You'd be amazed that we'll see what God has done through that and can do through that that is so much bigger than anything you could imagine.

And uh and so there was a group of us that caught that vision. And to see over the past five or six years the Hollywood studios get a vision for connecting with an audience. They've listened loud and clear to where you spend your tickets and those tickets uh communicate to them.

We need more stories like this. So to watch not just what we've done but you know my brother's gone on to do House of David is his show. Uh uh yeah, I'm I'm a fan. Uh Dallas Jenkins and the Chosen. Uh the Kendrick brothers. Yeah, absolutely. The Kendrick Brothers in the Forge and uh my buddy Devon Franklin and doing all the stuff that he has done.

There's a group that is finding their voice and uh we've got our seat back at the table. Guys, God is on the move. That's so good, Andy. We love that. Andy, real quick, tell them some of the statistics of the first I can only imagine just how God put his hand on.

The first movie was a moment. It was this little tiny low-budget film uh done really bootstrap. Uh in fact, I think the day we started filming uh there was an article that came out in one of the trade magazines that said the music biopic is dead. And I was like, well, we picked a winner.

Uh and uh it came out, it was only expected to do, you know, a couple million dollars opening weekend, which would have been very low, but God breathed on a moment and uh it came out, it did 17 million opening weekend, went on to do 86 million worldwide.

And it it's not about the money uh for us. It's about but it is about the studios and the Hollywood. They pay attention to money and they have allowed us to do more and more stuff uh that is bold in flavor because uh they see how much you guys love the product.

And so when we did the movie Jesus Revolution, my brother directed that with Brent McCorkle as well. I produced it with some others. And when that came out, we showed it to my uh the executives at the studio at the time. And one of the executives, he said, "Guys, this is the most inclusive thing we've ever seen."

And I said, "Well, let me help you with your definition. What you call inclusion as Christians, we call evangelism." And and we like, "It is it is an invitation to broken and hurting people to find hope and redemption. And it's available to everyone." And he sat there, he's like, "Huh, well, I guess we're okay with that evangelism thing.

Why don't you do more of that?" And so they literally come up and in, you show them the films now, they're like, "Does it have enough Jesus in it?" And I'm like, "What is happening here, guys? God's on the move." That's so good. I love that. Comes out this Friday.

Friday. Tim, I love that you put an X on your every every day. And that's just basically saying, "I'm alive again today." Yeah. I mean, I I've tried to build my kingdom most of my life. You tried to prop it up or tried to make it awesome. And at some point, it was like, I'm done trying to be awesome.

Like, Jesus, you're awesome. And you woke me up again today. I shouldn't be here, but you woke me up again today. And I I've also worked for God most of my life, and I quit working for God. I never will work for God again. I My job is just to join him as if he's the king of the kingdom and knows what's best for his kingdom.

So, every day I wake up and I write this this morning and I said, "Jesus, thank you for waking me up again. Help me just join you in my day today." It was a symbol of the Christ way back in the early church and it's contagious. So, uh, his philosophy.

I can't wait for the world to hear more about it. Let's see the trailer. You want to set it up? Anything? Yeah. It's, uh, guys, you're going to be surprised. It's the sequel. You didn't know you needed. And, uh, and I didn't know I needed it. And, uh, the story wrecked me.

It gave me hope to hope again to find that gratitude for today. Uh, and it follows this story of Even If, and it ends at Red Rocks on a beautiful stage. But, uh, you've got to see it in the theaters this Friday. Check it out. You got your dream.

I can only imagine by Mercy Me. One of the most beloved songs of all time. You inspired millions of people? I mean, what do you think was going to happen? You just going to ride off into the sunset. No more struggles or pain. So, how about you tell me what's really going on?

All these years later, seems we find ourselves at the crossroads. The question is are we still headliner material. You got another hit cooking? This tour is your dream. It's our dream. I'm Tim. I'm Bart's warm up. It was my first tour. You know, it's my first tour, too.

When did accountant Bart show up? I don't know, man. About the time I invited my diabetic kid along on this writer's block inducing make or break tour. Worried I might break him. Or he just might fix you. I just want to write something that helps people through the pain we all go through.

You will never understand what I'm going through. Gratitude, grief, finding a way to hold them both. God is in fire. And it is beautiful. This song needs you. It is well with my soul. Sometimes your dreams can rise from the ashes. When I started this song, I had had a really rough cancer appointment.

Just one of those that you just don't want. and Bart had just had a really rough uh appointment with his son and you'll you there's a movie about it people you can watch the movie but I was struggling with the word hope and I was looking at biblical hope and as I was like figuring it out I'm like oh gosh biblical hope isn't necessarily what God can do for me it's Jesus period like he is my hope what if he is our hope in the middle of all the things that we're holding in this room and all of you online or in this room are holding some heavy things.

So may this song invite us to join Jesus in the middle of our grief, in the middle of our gratitude. They say sometimes you win some, sometimes you lose some. Right now, right now I'm losing bad. Stood on the stage night after night, reminding the broken it'll be all right.

But right now, oh right now, I just can't. It's easy to sing when there's nothing to bring me down. And what can I say when I'm held to the flame like I am right now? Oh, I know you're able and I know you can save through the fire with your mighty hand.

But even if you don't, my hope is you alone. I know the sorrow and I know the hurt would all go away if you simply just say the word. But even if you don't, my hope is you alone. They say it only takes a little faith to move a mountain.

Oh, good thing cuz little faith is all I have right now. But God, when you choose to leave mountains unmoveable. Oh, give us the strength to be able to sing. It is well with my soul. I know you're able and I know you can see through the fire with your mighty hand.

Even if you don't, my hope is you alone. I know the sorrow and I know the hurt would all go if you just say the word. Even if you don't, my hope is you alone. You've been faithful and you've been good all my days. Jesus, I will cling to you.

Come what may, cuz I know you're able. Oh God, I know you can save through the fire with your mighty hand. I know you're able. I know you can save through the fire with your mighty hand. But even if you don't, my hope is you alone. I know sorrow and I know the hurt would all go away if you just say the word.

But even if you don't, my hope is you alone. ((music playing)) Oh God, my hope is you. My hope is you. ((music playing)) We're about to sing It Is Well with my soul. Some of you in this room cannot sing that well today. And I totally get it. It's like I I'm barely standing today and home.

All of us are like going through things. And there are some other people in this room that can totally pray this with enough faith today to say, "I will pray for you." People at home, you are not alone. This is why we gather and we say together we will pray this together because I need you to pray this for me friend neighbor.

So with the heavy things that we're holding in this place and all over the world we together take a deep breath and say Jesus you have our attention as if you are at work in all things. We sing this together. It is well with my soul. It is well.

It is well with my soul. One more time. Oh, it is well with my soul. It is well. It is well with my soul. ((applause)) Tim, pray over the people. Tim's going to pray over you. Oh Jesus, we don't have to conjure you up today or like hope that you're here.

You just are. Your presence is here. You're with us. We are with you all day long today. Jesus, thank you for waking us up again. Thank you. Thank you that you know us by name. Thank you that your invitation is so much bigger than I don't know that we've than we've seen before.

You are beautiful and kind and full of grace and mercy this morning. So today we wake up with you, Jesus. All the hard things are going on in this room, you know them well and you're at work in all these things. So together we say it is well with my soul.

Not these things, but you are well because you alone, Jesus, are our hope today. And as if you knew something, Jesus, you said, "Don't worry about tomorrow. Just deal with the things today." So tomorrow morning, if we get to wake up again, Jesus, we will say, "Jesus, you woke us up again.

Thank you. Help us just join you." So Jesus, that this community, that Jesus, people all over the world would look more like you. Thank you that you are at work in all these prayers that even in our agreement on these things together and as people are at home, we are in agreement that you would continue your work in and through us.

Thank you, Jesus. Thanks for another day. And all God's people said, "Amen." Thanks, you guys. Come on y'all, tell Tim we're glad to have him. So good, Tim. Excellent. So good. Thank you so much. Why don't you take a seat? We'll we'll shift gears, guys. We have something exciting coming up this Friday, Saturday.

It's our annual M3 mobilizing medical missions. Come on up, Paul. Hey, we have council member Mary Nan Huffman with us today and she's just wants to present something to Paul, my brother Paul and Jennifer on about the conference. So glad to have you here. Thanks for being a part.

Thank you for having me too. I am honored to present this proclamation from the city of Houston recognizing the important work of Dr. Paul Osteen and M3 mobilizing medical missions the incredible work that you're doing around the world saving lives and so for the conference coming to Houston, I Houston city council woman Mary Nan Huffman on behalf of the mayor of the city of Houston mayor John Whitmire hereby proclaim February 20th and 21st as Dr.

Paul Osteen and M3 days in the city of Houston. Thank you so much. Thanks for being here. That's so awesome. Thank you. Come on, tell Mary. Mary Nan, we're so glad to have you. Thank you again for being a part and honoring my brother Paul. That's so good, Paul.

This is for Lakewood. This isn't for me. So, thank you very much. That's so good. Well, Paul, yeah, take a seat, Paul. Tell us about the conference. What's going on? I'm really excited about this weekend, Friday and Saturday night, uh, M3 conference, and we'd love to have you.

But what I wanted to do, I wanted to give you a snapshot of M3 and just three quick stories. M3 is a place where God can birth vision in your heart. Nicole is a member here at Lakewood and she attended M3 several years ago as a high school student.

So, we'd love to have the students. At that point, she was asking God, like we all were, for direction in her life as far as a career, as far as her profession. As she listened to some of the missionary nurses talk at the conference, Nicole felt like God was calling her into nursing.

She applied to nursing school. She was accepted. She graduated in 2023. She now works in the pediatric ICU here at the medical center. She took her first trip to Botswana two years ago. She's already planning multiple trips in the future. M3 is also about providing opportunities for you to get involved in missions using whatever gifts and skills and talents you had.

Just like Andy said, what's in your hand? What can God use? Raoul is a Lakewood member. He's a third-year computer science engineering student at the University of Houston. Last year, he attended M3, heard about the opportunity to use his skills at a hospital in Eswatini in southern Africa.

Raoul spent three weeks in Eswatini this summer and he said it just made God so made it so aware to him that God loves everybody in a special way. He has a compassionate heart for people who are sick and in need and hurting and that God can do miracles in their lives.

What's really special about Raoul's story is that the project he developed this last summer is still being used in the health care system in Eswatini today. That three-week trip is making a difference in people's lives. And then M3 is about connecting people who have a heart for for global missions.

Several years ago, my friend Mark Garrison, who is was one of our speakers at M3. Mark is an architect and a building construction supervisor from Kentucky. He has extensive experience in limited resource settings in Africa doing construction. Also attending the conference that year was a friend of mine, Dr.

Al Annie Alanise, a surgeon from Malawi. Dr. Annie started an overseas ministry, an incredible work in an area where she was raised. She has a school, she has a church, she has an orphanage, and she had a small clinic. She felt like God put it on her heart to build a hospital, but she had no one to help her with the plans of construction.

She met Ma Mark at M3. He agreed to help her. In May of this year, 2026, the hospital will be completed and ready for surgery. What I love about this, Lakewood has helped, but we bought the operating room lights for the new OS there in Malawi. This wouldn't have happened if it w wasn't for M3.

So, Lakewood family, we would love to have you to be a part of the conference this next Friday and Saturday. If you're a student, you're near and dear to our hearts. We would love for you to come and we would love to give you a complimentary registration. Jen and I and the whole team will be out in the lobby if you have any questions or want to register for the conference.

But you know, Joel and Victoria, I was thinking about this. M3 wouldn't happen without the support of our church and our Lakewood volunteers. We wouldn't be able to help people in places like Batswana, Esatini, and Malawi without the generosity of each and every one of you who give to this ministry.

So, thank you for what you're doing. As the scripture says, you're laying up for yourselves treasures in heaven and that pleases the heart of Jesus and you're making a difference in people's lives all around the world. Thank you and God bless. That's so good, Paul. Love that. Thank you so much.

Well, Paul said it. We'll take a moment to worship the Lord with our tithes and our offerings today, but we always want to say thank you being so generous and just supporting the ministry. And we you can see it goes into good ground. we can help people overseas and we can help people in our own community as well.

So, we just want to say thank you for being a part and and you know, supporting the ministry. That is so good. You know, we're so grateful that we can show you just a tiny glimpse of the things that your giving is doing. And you know, giving is not just an action.

It's actually planting a seed. And like Joel just said, we believe this is good soil to plant a seed in. And you know, it's it's it's this seed that you're planting has the potential to carry increase. Every seed you plant carries a promise because God says that when you give, he brings the increase.

When you sew, he brings the increase. And so today, I just believe that when you give, you'll just realize that you're not only increasing other people's lives, but you're also increasing your own. So, we want to thank you and tell you how much we really truly love you.

We really do, Lord. Thank you for all of our generous givers. And as we give today, we don't do it because we have to. Lord, we give it because we want to. We recognize every good thing came from you. And so, Lord, I just thank you that you'll help these funds to help people all over the world to build your kingdom. and Lord that you'll bless your people that they live under the open windows of heaven that you're supplying all their needs and Lord even an abundance so they can do what you've called them to do sending their kids to college and fulfilling their dreams and Lord so we can as well build your kingdom here on the earth and just get the gospel out all over Lord I thank you for ideas and creativity and that their gifts and talents will come out to the full and you'll breathe on their businesses their careers and give them opportunity, Lord, just contracts, whatever they need, Lord.

Just do what only you can do so we can be a bigger blessing. We pray it all in the name of Jesus. Amen and amen. God bless you as you give. Here are some ways you can give. Using your smartphone, scan the QR code located on the screen.

Then select the online giving option that is the most convenient for you. Go to lakewoodurch.com/give. Text give hope to 77977. Mail a check to P. Box 27450, Houston, Texas 777227. or call us toll-free at 888-567 Joel Lord, I will lift my eyes to the hills. Knowing my help is coming from you.

Your peace you give me in times of the storm. You are the source of my strength. Lord, you are the strength of my life. Oh, I lift my hands in total praise. Hallelujah. Total praise to you. Oh Lord. I will lift my eyes. I will lift my eyes to the hills.

Knowing knowing my help is coming. It's coming. It's coming from you. Oh, your peace. Oh, your peace. You give me in time of the storm. You are. Yes, you are. You are source of my strength. You are. Yes, you are. God, you are the strength of my life.

Oh, I lift my hands. I lift my hands in total praise. Come on and lift your hands, total praise to you. You are. Yes, you are God. You are the source of my strength. I'm so glad to know that you are. ((music playing)) Lord, I will lift my hand. Lift my hand in total praise to you.

Amen. ((music playing)) You have the final say, God. Amen. Amen. ((music playing)) Whatever you say, God, it's ((music playing)) ((music playing)) That's so good. Thank you, Janet. Come on, tell our choir, our band how much you love them back here. Thank you, guys, ladies. Do you mind all standing one last time, but thanks again for coming out?

So honored to have you at Lakewood today? I know you could be anywhere, but you said, "I'm going to the house of the Lord." Don't you know God's smiling down on you? Always like to give you this scripture. When you're planted in the house of the Lord, you will flourish.

I'm looking at flourishing people this right now. Be expecting to have a blessed week today. I just believe that you're going to see God's goodness, his protection, and like Tim says, he wakes us up in the morning. That's a gift that he's given us. But so honored to have you.

If you're visiting, love to meet you. I'll be in the lobby right back there after the service. But uh just blessed to have you all here today. Today I'm going to ask you when you see yourself up on the big screen, can you give the TV audience a great big Lakewood welcome?

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 channel, social media, and you can come visit us in person. We'd love to have you be a part of one of our services.

I'd like to start with something funny. And I heard about this groom during the wedding rehearsal. He said to the minister, "I'll make a deal with you. If you'll leave out all that honor, obey, and love stuff, I'll give you $100." He's slipped a $100 bill into the minister's hand and walked away with a smile.

The next day during the ceremony, the minister said to him, "Do you promise to bow down before your wife and take her breakfast in bed, fulfill her every desire?" And he gulped in astonishment, said in a weak voice, "I do." He then whispered in the minister's ear and said, "I thought we had a deal."

The minister handed him his money back and said, "Your wife made me a much better offer." All right, y'all. 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. I'm about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, everliving seed of the word of God. I'll never be the same. Never, never, never. I'll never be the same in Jesus' name.

God bless you. If you'd like to open your Bibles to 2 Kings chapter 4, we'll look at a story from there. We'll put the scriptures on the screen as well. Most of you know we have great services all week. Today at two, it's it's this whole service in Spanish.

And then Wednesday night, we have our Wednesday night service back in person. It's an hour of powerful worship and ministry and community afterwards. So if you live close, come on out on Wednesday night. We have a great time. But again, great to have you today. I want to talk to you today about wake up your dreams.

All of us have things that God has put in our hearts. Promises he's spoken, dreams he's whispered in the night, maybe to have a baby or to start a business, to see your marriage restored. And at one time, we were excited about it. We prayed and believed. We knew it was a part of our destiny.

But when things don't happen the way we thought, we go through delays and closed doors and people didn't support us. It's easy to get discouraged and give up on what we're believing for. But just because we gave up doesn't mean God gave up. God doesn't abort dreams. Nothing that's happened to you has canled what God has spoken over your life.

No length of time, no disappointment, no bad break may seem like the dream is dead. There's no sign that that promise will come to life and you've already accepted. It's not meant to be. It's not dead. It's just asleep. The good news is God knows how to wake up your dream.

He knows how to breathe new life into what looks dead. And he'll send people across your path to speak a word to ignite your faith like he's doing today to light a new fire on the inside when it looks the least likely. You've already made peace that it can't happen.

Joel, that ship has already sailed. Know what God started. He's going to finish. You're not too old. It's not too late. The odds may be against you, but God is for you. That's when he'll step in and do what only he can do. And suddenly your health turns around or a door opens or you're free from that addiction.

God's about to wake up some dreams. What you thought was dead, it's just lying there dormant. It hasn't happened yet. Maybe it wasn't the right time. You prayed. You worked hard. You did all you could. Well, God saw your effort. He saw the disappointment, the frustration. That's not how your story ends.

That's one chapter. Another chapter is coming. Why don't you get your hopes up? Why don't you take some steps of faith? Well, Joel, I tried before, but the door closed. Try again. God knows how to open doors. Well, I'm just going to endure my marriage. I don't think we're ever going to be able to get along, ever be happy.

The enemy would love for you to lower your expectations, to lose your passion. When we've gone through disappointments, human nature has a defense mechanism that says, "Don't get your hopes up. That way, you won't be hurt again. Don't believe anymore for that dream. Don't pray. Don't expect anything good so you won't have to deal with the pain if it doesn't happen.

Many people live this way to protect themselves. They bury what they were believing for. They push down the dream they once had. They've already grieved the loss and accepted it's not meant to be. They don't want to risk the chance of being hurt again and having to deal with the disappointment.

Don't fall into that trap. You haven't lost your dream. You just laid it down. You let the setbacks, the failures cause you to quit believing. That was okay for a season, but this is a new day. You need to wake up your dream. Get your hopes up. You can't have faith if you don't first have hope.

That's why the enemy works so hard to suppress your hope, to get you to live discouraged, constantly whisper, "It's never going to happen. It's too late. You don't deserve it. Look what you've been through. Tune all that out and declare what God says about you. You need to speak life over what you're dreaming about.

If it's your health, God, I thank you that you're restoring health back unto me. That I will get well. Or I will lend and not borrow. Or like the psalm says, I will be the happy mother of children. Or as for me in my house, we will serve the Lord.

What God promised you is still alive and is still on the schedule. 2 Kings chapter 4, there was a woman that was friends with the prophet Elisha. She saw him traveling through her city and recognized he was a man of God. So, she and her husband built an extra room on their house so Elisha could stay there when he was in town.

She was a generous woman, faithful, loved God, and her family was wealthy and influential, had plenty of resources, and looked like she was on top of the world. Well, Elisha was staying at her house and he was so grateful for the hospitality. Wanted to do something nice for her.

He called her in and asked what she needed. Could he give her give her some funds or could he put in a good word about her to the king? She said, "No, Elisha, we're fine. We're friends with the king. We don't need anything. We have plenty of resources."

Well, she went her way and Elisha kept thinking about it. Later he said to his assistant, Gahhesi, "What do you think we can get this woman? How can we be good to her?" Gahhesi said, "She doesn't have a child and her husband is an old man." When Elisha heard that, he knew it was right.

He called her back in and said, "By this time next year, you're going to be holding a son in your arms." Verse 15 says, "She protested, "No, Elisha, please don't lie to me like that." One version says, "Don't play games with me." This struck a nerve. This woman had always dreamed of having a baby, but she wasn't able to conceive.

Now, she was an older woman. Was too late. She'd already buried that dream, already grieved the loss. When Elisha made this promise, her response was so passionate. It came out of a place of pain. No, Elisha, I'm not going there. I'm not going to get my hopes up again.

You don't know how painful this has been. You don't know the nights I've cried. You don't know what it's like to see my sisters giving birth and my cousins having babies. I try to be happy for them, but I'm so discouraged. As a young bride, you can imagine she had dreams of holding her little baby and seeing them take the first steps.

Hearing that child call her name didn't happen at first, so she kept praying and believing. Still nothing. She would dry her tears and pray again. Hope that it's going to happen. Months went by, no baby. Years went by, still nothing. She got so discouraged, so worn down. She was tired.

Not tired of life, but tired of believing for her dream. She got to the point where she accepted it. She's too old. Didn't work out. And rather than keep being disappointed, she grieved the loss. She buried the dream and went on with her life. And this lady wasn't weak.

She wasn't taking the easy way out. She was a faithful lady, honoring God. When Elisha said, "You're going to have a baby by this time next year." That was a critical point, her defense mechanism kicked in. She said, "No, Elisha, don't stir up what I've already buried. I don't want to take the risk and hope again.

This wound, this disappointment." She had gotten past it. She was content knowing that it wasn't going to happen. She didn't want to feel that pain again. She had good reasons to dismiss it. She was too old now. If it had happened 30 years earlier, then maybe she would believe.

Her husband was an old man. Two strikes. Everything in her mind said, "Don't believe now. You're going to be disappointed again." But down in her heart, something came alive. A faith, a knowing, a confidence. She dared to believe. She had to risk opening up that old womb, all that pain where she had already accepted that it couldn't happen.

But she took that chance. Verse 17 says, "And sure enough, soon the woman became pregnant." At that time, the following year, she had a son. There may be things that you buried, dreams that didn't work out, promises you once stood strong and believed, but like this woman, you couldn't conceive.

Doors closed. People walked away. You kept a good attitude, celebrated others, but didn't happen for you. Now you've dismissed it. Can I encourage you? God remembers what you've given up on. He has not forgotten what you've quit praying about. He knows what you used to believe for, what you used to be passionate about.

He's the one that put that dream in you in the first place. I love the fact that God didn't ask the woman, "Do you want a baby? Do you want what you've given up on?" God didn't ask for permission. He knew she would come up with all these excuses.

So, he just declared, "You're going to have what I intended for you to have." Time didn't cancel it. Bad breaks didn't cancel it. People didn't stop it. Mistakes didn't override it. What you thought was dead, too late, too far gone, it's only asleep. God is saying to you, what he said to this woman, by this time next year, you're going to see some things you thought were dead to come back to life.

Now, here's the whole key. Don't let the pain of what hasn't happened keep you from believing again. Like this lady, you may have already grieved the loss and accepted you can't get along in your marriage or you can't get well, can't get out of debt. No, God is about to breathe on your life.

He's about to resurrect dead dreams and dead relationships, dead health, dead careers. There's going to be some resurrections, things coming back to life. You couldn't make it happen. You couldn't explain it. It's the hand of God waking up your dreams and pushing you into your purpose. I don't know, Joel, if I have enough faith for this to happen.

And I don't know if I can believe for what I've already given up on. This lady didn't believe. She was so over having a child and so far past it that when Elisha asked what she wanted, she didn't even bring it up anymore. She didn't even didn't even enter her mind that she could still have a baby.

And she knew Elisha was a man of God, that he could perform miracles. But she still didn't believe. She said, "Elish, I don't need anything." But God gave her what she didn't ask for. He brought to life what she thought was dead. The scripture says, "Sure enough, she had a baby."

God has some sure enoughs for you. Those dreams that look too far gone. You've given up. God saw you trying. He saw you believing like this woman. You've been faithful. You're generous. But sometimes what we're believing for doesn't happen. And we bury these dreams. It's too painful to keep believing.

God is so merciful. He remembers what you've given up on. Even when we think there's no way it can happen now, God says, "Watch me. Get ready. There are some sure enoughs coming your way." Well, you seem too old to accomplish that dream. Sure enough, it's going to happen.

Did you see the medical report? You can't get well. Sure enough, healing is coming. You went through a breakup. You're always going to be lonely. Oh, sure enough, the right person is on the way. See, sure enough, it's not just God bringing a promise to pass. It's promises that we've buried.

It's dreams we've given up on. We thought they were dead, but they were only asleep. At the right time, God will wake them up. Some friends of mine have a son that got off course. He was raised in a good home. As a teenager, he sang on the worship team and attended a Christian school, but in college, he started running with the wrong crowds and got into drugs and a lot of other bad things.

And this once happy family was now filled with strife and contention. These parents are strong believers. They prayed and got their son in rehab. Did everything they could, but it was a constant struggle. And one night, the father and son had this very heated argument. The father told him to get out of the house, that he couldn't take it anymore.

Years went by with his son estrained, very little contact. This father was faithful. Of course, he loved his son, but he was tired. Tired of the conflict, tired of believing and tired of bailing him out of trouble. Came to the point where he accepted that his son was going to live this way.

That they'd never have a healthy relationship. Wasn't meant to be. But God knows when we come to the end of our limits. This father had been through so much heartache, so much pain. He finally buried it. quit believing. When it's taken a long time and we're not seeing improvement, it's easy to lower our expectations and water down our dreams.

That way, we won't be disappointed. And my friend is a very upbeat person. He's very faithfilled, but I could see it started to take something out of him. Lost a little passion, lost a little joy, not his normal personality. Proverbs says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick." The enemy would love for us to put off our hope.

He whispers, "It's never going to get better. What's the use of believing for your child? Look how long it's been. Look at the medical report. Difficulty in your career, the trouble in your marriage. How could it ever resolve?" But when your hope is put on hold, it steals your passion and weakens your faith.

I wonder today if your heart is sick. You love God. You're good to others, but you've buried what you once were excited about. You've accepted you can't accomplish what's in your heart. You don't risk believing, hoping, dreaming because you may get hurt again. You don't want to reopen that wound.

It's painful. Didn't work out. Could never happen now. Well, that's one way to handle it. You can survive with low expectations, but you may not realize it's making your heart sick. Like that woman in the scripture, she said, "I'm fine. I don't need anything." But inside there were broken places, buried dreams, hurts that she had covered over to numb the pain.

And people tell me, "Well, Joel, you're just real positive and you just always look on the bright side." But it's not just about being positive. When you don't have hope, it clouds your vision. It lessens your creativity. It lowers your expectations. Your heart becomes sick. You were created to be hopeful to believe even when you don't see a way.

To expect things to turn in your favor. A hopeful heart is a healthy heart. The scripture says, "Against all hope, Abraham hoped on in faith." My friend had buried his dream and thought his son would always be off course. But about a year ago, his son was watching us on television, flipping through the channels, and at the end of our program, he prayed that prayer and recommitted his life to Christ.

And it was like forces of darkness were broken off of him. Chains that had held him back were loosed. He was completely freed from that addiction. Had no more desire. went back to his parents' house and reconciled. Today, they're the best of friends. There's joy and laughter in their house.

And the son is excelling. How'd this happen? The father came into a sure enough, the dream he had buried, too painful to deal with. He had accepted the heartache, but God stepped in and did what only he can do. Are there things that you buried today? Promises you quit believing for. feels too late, too complicated, too hurtful.

It's not dead, it's just dormant. God is about to wake it up. He's about to bring to life what you thought was over. Now, give him something to work with. Quit deferring your hope. Quit watering down dreams and trying to protect yourself from being disappointed. God sees what you're dealing with.

He knows what didn't work out. He didn't fault the lady in the scripture for giving up on the baby, thinking she was too old. He doesn't fault my friend for thinking his son would never get back on course. God is the restorer of what was broken. He's the healer of our wounds.

And one way he heals those painful areas is to bring to pass what we thought was dead. This happened with Moses. He was born with a calling on his life to deliver the Israelites before he took a breath that was a target on him. The Pharaoh issued a decree to kill all the Hebrew baby boys.

Moses shouldn't have survived, but people don't have the final say. What God has purposed or your life will come to pass. God will override what should have stopped you. people that have more power and influence. He'll override sicknesses, addictions, and storms. He won't let you face a challenge that he can't bring you out of.

Moses was hidden for three months in his mother's house. When he got too big, she put him in a basket and sent him down the Nile River. Just so happened that Pharaoh's daughter was out taking a bath and she saw the baby. It was love at first sight.

She took him in the palace and raised him as her own son. Moses grew up in Egyptian royalty, had the best education, trained to be a leader. But as a young man, he saw an Egyptian foreman mistreating a Hebrew slave. That calling rose up. He wanted to do something about it.

But he got out of God's timing. He killed the Egyptian. He didn't think anyone was watching, but people saw him. He had to flee for his life. He spent years hiding in the desert. He thought his dream hadith died and it's too late for me. I had my chance, but I blew it.

He buried it under shame and under failure. He went from the palace, all this opportunity and prestige to the desert. No more people waiting on him. Nobody serving him food. Now he's living in a tent, hot, dusty. It was his own fault. But the scripture says God's calling on our life is irrevocable.

God doesn't change his mind. He knew every mistake we would make before he called us. He knew the times we'd blow it, take the easy way out. That didn't cancel your destiny. It may take you on a detour, but God has multiple ways to get you to your purpose.

Well, Joel, I missed plan A. That's okay. God has a plan B and C and D, and some of you are on plan X and Y and Z. Why are you burying that dream? Why have you disqualified yourself? God has not written you off. He doesn't say, "Just sit on the sidelines.

You messed up." That's the enemy. He's called the accuser. He'll remind you of all your mistakes and failures. He'd love for you to live feeling unworthy, in shame, water down your dreams, defer your hope. His goal is to get your heart sick, discouraged, not expecting, just enduring life.

Don't let that be you. Your dream is not dead, it's just dormant. At the right time, God's going to wake it up. 40 years after that mistake, Moses was in the desert minding his own business. And God showed up in a burning bush. Said Moses, "Take off your shoes.

You're standing on holy ground." Look at how good God is. Moses didn't go to God. God came to him. God loves you too much to let you miss your destiny. When you feel unworthy, you don't deserve it. God in his mercy will come to you. Dreams you've buried, promises you've given up on.

It's not too late. Your time is coming. God said to Moses, "Go tell the Pharaoh to let my people go." I can imagine Moses thinking, "No, God, don't talk to me about that dream. I buried it. I've already accepted that can't happen. I've already grieved that loss. That's a painful time in my life.

Caused me so much heartache. I can't reopen that wound." He quit believing that would happen decades earlier. But God has not forgotten what you've given up on. It may have been delayed by mistakes, poor choices, or circumstances you didn't have any control over. That lady that wanted a baby, she couldn't help that she was barren.

My friend is a great parent. He didn't do anything to make a son get off course. God sees what you've been through. the dream he put in you, those promises you're standing on, they may get buried, but they are still alive. Moses told God all the reasons that he couldn't do it.

God, who am I to go to Pharaoh? He's not going to listen to me. I stutter. I'm slow of speech. He was saying, "God, I'm not worthy. I fell before. I may fail again. I'm not qualified. I don't have a lot of talent." He had believed those lies so long that he had this defeated mindset.

And God kept answering him back, telling him that he could do it. Verse 13 says, "Moses pleaded again and said, please Lord, send someone else." He's saying in effect, "I don't want to hurt again." Those weren't really excuses. They were wounds. He was trying to protect himself from being disappointed again, failing again.

There will always be these voices tried to convince us to defer our hope. I can't do it. I may fail. I'm not qualified. I don't speak well. Tune out all those lies. That's what makes your heart sick. That's what keeps your passion down and your expectations low. You were created to rise higher, to overcome obstacles, to defeat those giants, to set new standards, to leave your family better than they were before.

It's going to take courage. Courage to take a risk. A risk of being heard again. A risk of not being accepted. A risk of not feeling qualified. Moses was letting the guilt, the insecurity, what hadn't worked out to hold him back. God could have said, "Fine, Moses. I'll find somebody else."

No. God is not going to give up on you. The dream he put in you is still alive. He said, "Moses, when you go, I will be with you. I will give you words to speak. I will perform signs and miracles, and I will send Aaron along to help you out."

Moses went out, delivered the Israelites, parted the Red Sea, and took them toward the promised land. Now, like Moses, you may have let a dream go to sleep. Didn't work out the first time, but when God wakes it up, you're not going to go on your own. God is going with you to strengthen you, to fight your battles, to give you the words to speak, to cause you to conceive that baby you're dreaming about, to bring your child back home.

There are some sure enoughs coming your way. By this time next year, God is going to surprise you and do what you thought was over and done. Now, here's my challenge today. Get in agreement with God. No more deferring your hope. talking yourself out of it. Try a better approach.

Stir up your hope. Dare to believe. Take that risk. It may mean opening up an old wound. Something you've accepted can't happen. It was too painful, too disappointed. What if you knew that it wasn't the right time before? And just because it hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it's not going to happen.

The dream is not dead. It is just asleep. And I believe and declare God is about to wake it up. He's breathing on you right now. Fresh vision, fresh anointing on your health, your children, your finances, your relationships. Dreams are coming back to life. What he's promised will come to pass in Jesus' name.

And if you receive it, can you say amen? Let's pray together. If you have five minutes, stick with me here. We'll just seal it in prayer. Lord, thank you for what we've heard today. I know it falls on great ground. Faithful people here at Lakewood. Father, I'm sure all of us have a thing or two that we've given up on.

We think it's too late. We made mistakes or things didn't work out. But Lord, we commit today. We're going to believe again. We're going to dream again. Our hopes are in you, Father, that you can still get us to where we're supposed to be. Let faith come alive in our hearts.

Help us to believe to reach the fullness of our destinies. Lord, we thank you for doing what only you can do. You've done it before, but Lord, I thank you that you're doing it again in Jesus' name. And with our heads bowed in prayer, just a quick question.

If your heart stopped beating in the next few minutes, are you at peace with God? Do you know where you would spend eternity if you died a little while from now? If not, I would love to pray with you. I'm not here to condemn anybody. I'm here to help you find a new beginning.

I know this comes from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. And in just a moment, if you're not at peace with the Lord, or maybe you are a Christian, but you've grown cold toward God, you know you need to rededicate, recommmit your life to Christ. If that's you, in just a moment, I'm going to ask you to take a step of faith and stand right where you are and we'll pray together.

Can't think of a better time to get on the road to victory than right now. God is not mad at you. He's already forgiven your sins. All you have to do is accept the free gift of Christ's salvation. Will you do it today? The enemy in your thoughts, he'll whisper, "Oh, do it next week.

Do it another time." Listen, the Bible says, "Today is the day of salvation." You're not hearing this by accident. Well, Joel, it's embarrassing to stand in front of everyone. Have people at the house, I can't lift my hand. Listen to what Jesus said. If you won't be ashamed of me before people, then I won't be ashamed of you before my father in heaven.

I'm going to give you a great opportunity to show God that you're not ashamed of him. If you're not at peace with the Lord or you just need to rededicate, you need to recommmit your life to Christ, a fresh new start, a new beginning. If that's you, would you be bold?

Take that step of faith and stand right where you are and we'll pray together. Would you do that? Come on, Lakewood. Let's give them a hand as they stand all over the building. Come on. Don't put it off. Come on. I feel like there ought to be others.

Anybody else? Your heart's beating fast up top. Come on, Lakewood. They're still standing. Anybody else watching, listening? Well, God bless you. Please remain standing if you don't mind. But let me tell you how much we love you. And I know that took courage to stand. And more importantly, I know God is never going to be ashamed of you because you took this step of faith.

The scripture says that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Let me help you to call. Do you mind all praying this with our friends that are standing? Lord Jesus, Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make you my Lord and Savior.

Amen. Remain standing one more moment. I want to tell you how proud we are of you. How how much we love you. We're going to be praying for you as well. You know, just um this next year of your life is so important. And I just want to challenge you to come back and be a part.

If you can give us that next year, I can make a promise before that year is over. Your life will never be the same for the better. Now, I know you're busy and Sunday's probably a day off. You could be running errands or resting, but I can promise you this.

When you get into a community of faith and put God first place, there is a blessing on your life and your your new week will go better. We'd love to have you here at Lakewood. A lot of areas you can get plugged in. We're a big church, but you can get involved in some of these groups, these volunteer groups, these teams.

And what I like about it is you're going to meet some good people here at Lakewood that'll help you grow in your walk with the Lord. I'd love to meet you. I'll be in the lobby back there after service and there'll be a booth up over here if you need anything.

We'd be glad to help you. But know this, the moment you stood up, God washed away all your sins, your mistakes, your failures. You are starting with a fresh, clean slate. Write it down in your Bible. February 15, 2026, a new day of victory in your life in Jesus name.

Amen. Amen. Well, let's all stand together if you would please. Thanks for coming out today. How many of you going home better off than you were before? Amen. All right, guys. We love you. Let me speak a blessing. Until we meet again, may the Lord bless you and keep you.

May the Lord show you his favor and have mercy on you. And may the Lord watch over you and give you his peace. God bless you. Have a great week. We'll see you back real soon.