Day Forty-One Is Coming | Joel Osteen

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 podcasts, 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 heard about this pastor. He was new in town and he was going door to door, inviting people to his church. He knocked on this one door and he could tell someone was home, but no one would answer. So he took his business card out and wrote on the back the scriptural reference, Revelation 320, and left it on the door. The next Sunday after service, an usher handed him the same card. Under what the pastor had written was the scriptural reference, Genesis 310. Here's what they say, Revelation 320, the pastor's words, behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone opens the door, I will come in. The reply was Genesis 310. It says, I heard your voice and I was afraid because I was naked. 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 in Jesus' name. God bless you. I want to talk to you today about day 41 is coming. We all go through seasons of testing and proving and times of adversity and struggle where we're praying and believing, but things aren't changing. In the scripture, these seasons are described as 40 days.

40 is a symbolic number. It refers to seasons of testing and struggle where it doesn't look like things are going to change. After Noah built the ark, it rained for 40 days. Jesus was tempted in the desert for 40 days. Goliath tarnished the Israelites 40 days. Moses made a mistake, wandered in the desert 40 years. In life, we'll all have a few 40-day experiences where we're facing a giant that looks too big or a slow season in the desert, so to speak, a storm where it keeps raining, medical reports not improving, child not coming home, still haven't met the right person. It's tempting to get discouraged and give up on our dreams, but when you're in one of these 40 days, thoughts telling you it's never going to change, you have to know day 41 is coming. The scripture says God has set an end to the difficulty, and I can't promise you you won't have some 40 days, but I can promise you day 41 will always come. But the number 40 gets a lot of attention. You have to stay focused on the 41. Yes, it rained for 40 days, but on day 41, the rain stopped and Noah and his family were saved. Yes, the enemy tempted Jesus 40 days, but on day 41, angels showed up and strengthened him. Yes, Goliath tarnished the Israelites 40 days, but on day 41, David showed up and put an end to him. You may be in a 40-day period now. Doesn't look like you'll ever get well or get out of debt, see your family restored. You could complain and be negative. Try a new approach. Father, thank you that my day 41 is coming. Thank you that you've already set an expiration date for this trouble. When God told Noah to build the ark, it had never rained.

He could have come up with good excuses to not do it, but he obeyed. He did the right thing when it was hard. He didn't have trouble because he was lazy and wouldn't listen. He faced his 40 days because he was faithful, because he honored God and wouldn't take the easy way out. When you're in a 40-day period, thoughts will whisper because you've made those mistakes. You should have done better. God's upset with you. We think the storm is always God's judgment, but sometimes like Noah, your 40 days is a result of being obedient. It's because you're honoring God. Not that you've done something wrong, but you've done something right. God can trust you to pass the test, to keep an attitude of faith. You know, we don't like the trials. It's uncomfortable, but that 40 days is positioning you for greater things. God knows the end from the beginning. We see the 40 days, but God sees day 41. He sees what he's about to do. You have to go through it to get to it. You have to persevere you have to stand in faith. The scripture says having done all to stand That means you just keep standing your attitude is I will not give up. I will not get bitter Yes, it's still raining I don't see a sign of things changing but I know a secret these 40 days is not how my story ends Day 41 is coming God has not brought you this far to leave you get your passion back This test is only temporary God being for you is more than what's coming against you Now I love the faith of Noah because everyone would have been making fun of him This crazy guy building a boat out in the desert. There's no water to put it in. He says it's gonna flood Despite all the negative chatter. He just kept doing what God put in his heart He finished building the boat and got him and all of his family on it. The scripture says God closed the door

There was a time no one else could get in Started raining one day two days a week two weeks three weeks The whole earth was flooded wiped out all the people and animals plants and houses The scripture says it was torrential rains not just a little sprinkle this was a huge storm I'm sure it was chaotic the boat rocking the winds blowing But think about how good God is Noah was rising above what was destroying others Even though he was in a storm. God was sustaining him not letting him go down When you're in a 40-day season, you may not realize it, but God's not letting you go under That sickness couldn't take you out had trouble at work. It was hard, but you had the strength to endure That child that broke your heart you look back now and think how did you make it through that was God keeping you? Strengthening you favoring you You can't always see it in the storm, but God is working He's a very present help in times of trouble that means in the 40 days he's close to you He's not allowing the difficulty to take you out And I'm sure after a couple of weeks of rain and wind Thoughts whispered to Noah. It's never gonna stop raining. This storm is permanent Same thoughts that come to us. You'll always have that trouble and always struggling your finances Always have to deal with this depression. Noah would wake up each morning. I can imagine first thing he'd do was check. Oh, man It's still raining 19 days in a row 25 days 33 days no sign of the rain stopping He went to bed on day 40 seemed like just another ordinary day more wind more rain dark clouds Little did he know when he woke up on day 41 the rain had stopped The wind had ceased the sky had cleared the Sun began to shine Was the dawning of a new season? All those thoughts that had told him it was never going to stop raining and he'd always be in that limited environment He realized they weren't true that God had set an end to the difficulty that it was just a season Like Noah, you may be in your 40 days You've done the right thing you've honored God, but it's raining the medical reports not good Doors have closed on your dreams or you're dealing with that anxiety

Thoughts will whisper. It's never going to change. God's forgotten about you. Can I encourage you day 41 is coming? The rain will cease the storm will stop the trouble will end You are closer than you think you can't see it, but things are about to shift in your favor You're on the verge of a breakthrough Your health turning around your child coming home your business taking off. It's going to happen suddenly Unexpectedly, you didn't see it coming like Noah you went to bed one night Thinking everything would be the same you woke up the next morning and the rain had stopped God stepped in and did what only he can do See some storms you can't stop. There are some battles. You can't win It's going to take the most high God breathing on your life The good news is he's watching over you. He sees a little sparrow when they fall to the ground How much more is God concerned about you? He knows the struggles. He knows who did you wrong? What looks impossible? He wouldn't have let you get in that difficulty if he couldn't bring you out And the scripture tells us to wait With expectancy wait believing that is coming wait. Thanking God that it's on the way wait Expecting things to change in your favor Not waiting discouraged and I don't think I'll ever get well and I'll never get that scholarship This addictions been in my family for years You're the one to break it God raised you up to set a new standard may have been that way a long time, but don't accept it as permanent That's the mistake the Israelites made they wandered in the desert 40 years Because they never believed they complained had a limited mindset But their children had a different mentality They didn't see themselves as former slaves. These enemies are too big. They had a victorious mentality They realized they were children of Almighty God that defeat was not their destiny And after their parents wandered around the same mountain for 40 years these children came into 41 They went into the promised land. They lived in houses. They didn't build they ate from vineyards They didn't plant in a land flowing with milk and honey Abundance more than enough that happened after 40 years of black 40 years of struggle

40 years of mediocrity There may be things that have been in your family a long time Can't get ahead Stuck in a limited environment unhealthy relationships people that compromise addictions loneliness God is saying that 40 years has run its course You're coming in to 41 in 41. You break out of the box and go into your promised land In 41 you see favor that your family's never seen in 41 There's opportunity chasing you down the right people knocking at your door in 41 There's creativity ideas and talent that you didn't know you had in 41 you're catapulted into influence leadership positions of honor and authority You may be in some wilderness years now where there's struggle and varsity you have to know that is not your destiny Day 41 is coming Six months after the rain stopped the waters begin to recede and Noah sent a raven out to see if it could find dry ground Hoping he could get off the boat, but the raven came back. There was nowhere to land. It was still flooded Well, Noah didn't get discouraged thinking it was never going to change he waited a few weeks and sent another bird out This time it came back with an olive leaf in its beak The bird couldn't land but Noah knew things were getting better a week later He sent a dove out and the dove never returned. There was dry ground. They were able to get off the boat But notice how Noah kept looking Believing knowing that the boat was not his destiny He knew that God was faithful that it may storm for 40 days, but day 41 is coming When you're in a storm you have to do like Noah keep expecting things to change Don't let it become permanent keep sending out that bird so to speak keep looking for God's goodness Keep believing for your business to turn around keep thanking God that the right people will show up I Talked to a lady that was in town for treatment at the Medical Center She had been diagnosed with a rare form of kidney cancer. She'd had it for six years She'd been through chemotherapy several times. The doctors had put her on a special trial

Experimenting with new medicines, but with no success She'd come to church when she is in town and she was always full of faith. I couldn't encourage her She would encourage me She told me how that cancer was temporary that it would pass that she was going to be a testimony of God's goodness I just smile and agree with her. Well, she came last Sunday so excited She showed me the scans of her kidney on one you could see the dark spot the cancer But on the newest scan, it's perfectly clean. There's no sign of cancer The doctor said of all the hundreds of patients on this special trial She's the only one that's seen improvement. She's not just the medicine. It's Jehovah Rapha the Lord our healer What happened she came in to a 41st day? You may be dealing with a sickness or some difficulty and you're in your 18th day Your 25th day your 37th day you have to do like her and keep reminding yourself The day 41 is coming that the storm is not going to last that the trouble is not Permanent the same God that stopped the rain for Noah is going to stop the rain in your life The same God that took the children of the Israelites into the promised land is going to take you into your promised land Where there's no more wandering no more sickness. No more can't get ahead Day 41 is on your calendar God has already scheduled the turnaround the healing It's already lined up the breakthrough the divine connections just a matter of time before the wind cease The waters recede and you step in to a new level of your destiny See the scripture says don't think it's strange when you face fiery trials that test the quality of your faith Sometimes the 40 days is simply a test It's a time to prove to God who you are to show him that you're not going to be discouraged by the rain You're not going to get bitter over who did you wrong? You're not going to complain because your plans didn't work out your business hasn't taken off yet. You lost a loved one Your attitude in the storm how we respond to the trials will have a great impact on when we see the 41st day When you show God that you trust him you're not moved by the rain you're still believing Praising thanking smiling you're passing the test. That's when he'll release greater things in your life when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist he came up out of the water and the dove landed on his shoulder a Voice boomed out of the heavens said this is my beloved son and whom I'm well pleased

Was an incredible moment where Jesus was publicly announced for the first time You would think Jesus would go to the city and start healing people and doing great miracles I'm sure he's all fired up and ready to go But the scripture says the Spirit led him into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil Doesn't say that the enemy led in there that the opposition was trying to hold him back It said God led him to the desert for a period of testing You can be in God's will and be in the desert For 40 days the enemy tempted Jesus you're hungry turn these stones into bread Bow down and worship me. I'll give you the kingdoms of the world jump off this building prove that you're the Son of God 40 days it was a struggle Jesus was hungry. He had been fasting. He had to endure resist and outlast But he passed the test and proved that he was faithful that he wouldn't compromise 40 days it was difficult Then day 41 came Angel showed up to strengthen him and empower him day 41 Jesus came out of the desert the scripture says in the power of the Spirit He stepped into a new authority a new anointing a new dimension of his destiny It says in Luke that he went to the temple Stood in front of the people and read from the scroll of Isaiah It said the Spirit of the Lord is upon me to preach the good news To heal the sick to set at Liberty those that are captive to declare the acceptable year of God's favor He rolled up the scroll and said this day this scripture is fulfilled Was 700 years earlier Isaiah had written this prophecy Jesus said today it's coming to pass After being tempted for 40 days on day 41 Jesus stepped in to what was declared about him hundreds of years earlier You may be in a time of testing and proving now It's difficult, but you're keeping the right attitude

The medical report hasn't improved but you keep thanking God for healing People at work didn't give you the credit. You keep being your best each day You could be bitter over the door that closed the person that walked away, but you know, God has something better coming You're passing the test like Jesus you're going to come in to the 41st day Not only will you feel a strength and power that you've never felt But you're going to step into things that God prophesied over you long before you got here Things he has spoken over your destiny before you were born God said to Jeremiah before you were formed in your mother's womb I ordained you to be a prophet to the nation's on your 41st day You'll fulfill prophecy favor influence greater than you've imagined Now don't get discouraged in the test Testing in the wilderness seasons. Those are times of proving where you have to show God what you're made up You may be in day 15 now Thoughts whisper. This is never going to change day 22. You'll always be overlooked day 34 Just take the easy way out. Everyone's doing it. No stand strong Keep doing the right thing. The end is already set the time of struggle Protesting loneliness that expiration date is already scheduled day 41 is coming day 41 is an anointing of ease where what used to be a struggle is not a struggle anymore Day 41 is when the person of your dream shows up someone better than you've imagined Day 41 is when you see restoration beauty for ashes God working all things for your good And some of you don't realize you're in day 38 day 39 you're too close to quit You're on the verge of what you've been believing for This is not the time to get discouraged give up You have to dig down deep and say I am in it for the long haul. I will not be moved God I believe by day 41 is coming. This storm will cease and I'll see your goodness in new ways When you do that, you're gonna feel a second wind God breathing fresh strength greater endurance new vision So you can make it to 41 My father pastored Lakewood for 40 years. He and my mother started the church 1959 and he passed in

1999 and I stepped up to pastor and we thought if we could just keep the church going who we'd be doing great If we could just maintain and not let it go down that would be a victory My father was such a strong leader Powerful minister big personality. He was my hero But man, if I could be half of what he was I'd be doing great I've been behind the scenes all those years doing the production and I'm naturally more quiet and reserved I didn't have all the training the experience But when my father suddenly passed I didn't realize I stepped in to year 41 I stepped into favor influence opportunity that my father never saw 41 is where God catapults you ahead We were hoping to maintain the church, but here we are in the form of compact center. You know what this is day 41 There are some 41s in your future you've been faithful You passed the test. You're gonna see God show out in your life Open doors. You never dreamed would open turn situations around that you thought were permanent Don't believe those lies that you've seen your best days day 41 is coming Goliath was the champion the Philistine army. He was over 9 feet tall The scripture says for 40 days He stood on the side of the mountain morning and evening and taunted the Israelites making threats insults pestering them When the Israelite army heard him they were terrified. They'd run and hide 40 days paralyzed in fear 40 days they thought there were no way out facing an angry giant twice their size All of us will have some Goliaths in life not just the size but how about the negative chatter? People that tell you you can't accomplish your dream. You'll never get well Sometimes the Goliath is our own thoughts. You're too small. You're not attractive. You don't have what it takes For 40 days God allowed the giant to speak to insult to threaten But God has set an end to the difficulty day 41 a teenage boy named David showed up He heard Goliath mocking the Israelites He saw everyone run and hide but something rose up in him a fire a passion a courage

He looked at Goliath and said who is this? Uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of a living God He was saying in effect this may have gone on for 40 days, but day 41 is here He picked up a smooth stone Slung that rock and knocked Goliath to the ground. He took Goliath sword cut his head off Well, Joel, I can't wait till David shows up and does something about my giant. Can I tell you a secret? You're the David. You're the one to defeat what's limiting you God allowed it for a 40-day season a certain amount of time, but it's not permanent You're not supposed to run and hide live intimidated This sickness is too big these people at work are so much more powerful. I'm the underdog God loves to use the underdog. He loves to take those who people think are too small Don't have the training they expect you to hide live with the dysfunction deep down you're gonna feel what David felt a supernatural power a divine enablement a favor on your slingshot to where you rise up and Say I'm the giant killer. I'm the difference maker. I'm the one to put an end to what's hindering my family May have gone on for 40 days or 40 years God is saying day 41 is here. The giant is about to come down The sickness about to turn around that struggle and lack is coming to an end Friends, I can't promise you that you won't have some 40 days like Noah where it rains and storms Like Jesus, we're in the desert being tempted like David facing a big obstacle Thoughts taunting you but I can promise you day 41 is coming God is faithful. He has you in the palm of his hand He sees you being faithful doing the right thing when it's hard you are passing the test When those lies whisper that it's never going to change. No, remember God has set an end to your difficulty He's already scheduled the expiration date now believe and declare like with Noah The storm is about to cease like the children of the Israelites Bondages that have held your family back are being broken Like David that giant that's been taunting you the sickness the addiction the trouble at work is coming down and you Will go in to your promised land in Jesus name And if you receive it, can you say amen

I'd like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say Lord Jesus. I repent of my sins Come into my heart. I make you my Lord and Savior If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again We'd love to send you some free information on your new walk with the Lord You can text the number on the screen or go to the website But I hope you'll get into a good Bible based church and keep God first place