Fast Forward | Joel Osteen

God bless you. It's great to be with you today, and I hope you stay connected with us during the week through our daily podcast, our 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, but 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, love and obey stuff, I'll give you a hundred dollars. He slipped a hundred dollar 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, take her breakfast in bed, fulfill her every desire? He gulped in astonishment, said in a weak voice, I do. He then whispered in the minister's ear, I thought we had a deal. The minister handed him his money back and said, your wife made me a much better offer. 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 fast forward. When we look at the dreams we want to accomplish and problems we're hoping will turn around, it can seem like it's going to take a long time, years to get out of debt, years to recover from a sickness, years to see the business grow. But God doesn't always do things on a normal timeline. The scripture talks about how he can do a quick work. He knows how to speed things up. He has these moments of favor where he will catapult you ahead. Everything seems routine, going along at the same pace, making the same progress. Then out of nowhere, one good break, one contract, one door opens and you're 20 years down the road. You didn't see it coming. You can't explain it. It's God accelerating things, propelling you forward. When I'm watching a movie at home or I've recorded a ballgame, it's getting boring or if I'm in a hurry, it's no big deal. I pick up the remote control and hit fast forward, jumps it ahead, hit it again, four times the speed again, eight times, then 16, 32. It can go 64 times faster than normal. I can watch a three-hour ballgame in 30 minutes. The good news is God has a fast forward button for your life. It should take you 30 years to accomplish a dream. All God has to do is hit fast forward. It'll happen in a fraction of the time. I met a lady in the lobby that was waiting for a liver transplant. She was told it could take up to five years. So many

people in line in front of her. Problem was she didn't have five years. Her health was declining so fast. I told her what I'm telling you, that God is not limited by a normal timeline. God controls time. Three weeks later, she came back in the lobby and I said, hey, I'm still believing with you. She said, no, Joel, I've already had the transplant. They called her back the next week. Her doctor said he had never seen anything like that before. What happened? God hit fast forward. God knows how to accelerate your dreams, accelerate your healing, accelerate what you're believing for. That's why you can't judge your future based on the progress you've seen in the past. God has the remote control. He has some of these fast forward moments coming your way. Things that will catapult you ahead. You can't explain it. You didn't see it coming, but suddenly you get well. Suddenly you're in management. Suddenly you break the addiction. Should have taken you a lifetime, but God hit fast forward. He did a quick work. For years, Lakewood was on the other side of town. That area had gotten a little run down and become more industrial. By the grace of God, we moved into this place, the former compact center. The Rockets basketball team won two world championships here. It's on the busiest freeway in Texas. Two million people a year had come into this building for sports and concerts. That one move put us 50 years down the road in influence, in credibility, in respect. I had people that wouldn't give me the time of day. Treated me like I was second class from that poor church across town, those holy rollers. When we got to compact center, those same people that ignored me, they'd come up and say, can we come to your church? Will you save us a seat? I said, sure. We'll right up there by the flag. But that one good break did. More than I could do on my own in my whole lifetime God has some of these fast-forward moments for you. You couldn't make it happen. You couldn't change their mind You couldn't make yourself get well. It's the hand of God Propelling you into your destiny He has the remote control right now You're on the verge of seeing acceleration a quick work God speeding things up What should have taken you years will happen in a fraction of the time Yeah, Joel. I don't know man. I feel stuck. I'm not making much progress My dream seems so far off. No get an agreement with God

You have to be a believer and not a doubter father. I want to thank you that Acceleration is coming my way. Thank you that you've already lined up these fast-forward moments That'll propel me into my destiny Acts chapter 8 Philip was in Samaria Ministering this angel came and told him to go into the desert on the road that leads to Gaza He didn't know what it meant, but he obeyed Along came this Ethiopian man riding in a chariot He was the treasurer for the Queen of Ethiopia a very respected and influential man While he was riding he was reading out loud a passage from the book of Isaiah that talked about Jesus When Philip heard this he walked alongside the man and asked if he understood what it meant The man said he didn't Philip started explaining to him about how Jesus came How he died and rose again and when we believe in him we can have salvation This man was so excited. He saw some water and said I want to get baptized right now He got out and Philip baptized him when the man came up out of the water The scripture says the Spirit of God caught Philip away and the man never saw Philip again You can imagine what the man thought came up out of the water and suddenly Philip is gone. He's disappeared verse 40 says Philip found himself further in the city of Azotus a Zotus was 20 miles from where they were that defies logic. He's here one moment and the next he's 20 miles away God has these times where you're going to find yourself further You can't explain it. Does it make sense? But God propels you ahead May not be 20 miles to another city, but God propels you in your career Should have taken you years to build your business, but you found yourself further God opened the doors. He brought the right people gave you ideas caused you to stand out Now you look up and think how did I get to a Zotus so to speak? It was the God of acceleration He's going to propel you in your health. We're supposed to take a long time to get well You'd made up your mind to endure the treatment to make it through but God stepped in and sped things up Did what you couldn't do now you found yourself further healthy whole victorious Or you thought that legal problem would last for years The experts told you to not get your hopes up, but God hit the fast-forward button He did a quick work and you found yourself further

See, we look at things in the natural It should take this long to get out of debt If I work this many hours Save this much the stock market does this my investments do that and it's good to plan. It's good to be wise But God is supernatural All he has to do is hit fast-forward and you're 20 years down the road. You find yourself further Here's the key. You can't calculate his goodness You can't quantify his blessings his favor his increase There are things he's already planned for you that are out of the ordinary Uncommon, that's why he said lean not to your own understanding Don't look at your dreams your problems that medical report just in the natural on your timeline God has another timeline. He has some fast-forward moments that are going to defy the odds Acceleration you didn't see coming good breaks that will catapult you ahead You look up and think how did I get here? I didn't have the training I wasn't next in line, but God catapulted you ahead. How did I break this addiction? They said it's going to be years But the chain breaker stepped in God said enough is enough and you found yourself further The Prophet Ezekiel said the hand of the Lord was on me and he carried me That word carried in the original language means to shoot out to launch forward it implies acceleration And as God carries you through through life, it's not always going to be predictable, routine, at the same pace. You're going to come into these times where God is going to propel you years down the road. You were going along fine, making progress, being faithful, then God hits fast forward. Out of nowhere, you're thrust into levels you didn't see coming, favor, influence, opportunity that you've never imagined. When my father went to be with the Lord, I had never ministered before. I liked being behind the scenes, doing the television production, but I knew I was supposed to step up and pastor the church.

I called our contact at the cable network where my father had a national program for almost 20 years. I told him that Daddy had died and we were going to have to cancel our airtime. I thought, I don't know how to minister. I've never been to seminary and I'm sure not going to get on television. Nobody's going to listen to me. And I came home that night and talking to Victoria, just casually, she said, what'd you do today? And I told her that I canceled our airtime. She looked at me and said, listen here, Joel, you need to call and get that time back. People are watching to see what's going to happen to Lakewood. She was so strong and so passionate about it. I knew there was only one right answer, yes ma'am. Airtime is very valuable. It was a holiday weekend, so I called the first thing Tuesday morning. The man said, Joel, this is so interesting. I had the time sold on Friday. The contract was on my desk, but something said to me, don't sign it until next week. He gave us our time back. We started airing my messages on television. Much to my surprise, people started watching in record numbers. Other networks started calling. Three years later, we were on the top stations in all the major cities. I was just hoping to keep things going, but God had another plan fast forward. He propelled me further than I ever imagined. What am I saying? You don't know what God has in store for you. He's been carrying you. He's been sustaining you, but part of that carrying are these times where God launches you forward, where he accelerates your destiny.

He puts your years down the road. You may feel like you're not making much progress. It can be discouraging at this rate. It's going to take so long to get ahead, so long to get well, so long for your child to get back on course. What you can't see is God has the remote control. You wouldn't be hearing this if he wasn't about to accelerate some things. Keep being faithful. Keep honoring him. He's about to hit fast forward and put your years down the road. Friend of mine has a small business. He's in the graphics industry, and for years it's just been him and a couple of other employees. He's always had bigger things in his heart, this dream to see it grow and expand. He's worked hard and gone the extra mile, but it seemed like he always hit a limit. He'd make a little progress, then things would slow down. Boss would tell him, it's too late, would have happened by now, just accept that it's not meant to be, but despite not seeing anything change, he kept believing. He kept thanking God that he was working. Last year, he picked up one client that brought him more revenue in one year than all the previous 20 years combined. His business has exploded, has over 300 employees. He said, Joel, I can't explain it. I don't know why this big company chose my small firm. You know why? God hit fast forward. God said in Isaiah, I will make it happen quickly. It may look like you're falling behind. It's too late to accomplish your dream. Don't worry, God has the remote control. He knows how to speed things up.

He can do things quickly. It's not going to be at the same gradual pace your whole lifetime. Be grateful for where you are, stay faithful, but don't let the fact that it's routine convince you that it's always going to be that way. No, God has some of these fast forward moments already on your schedule. Genesis 48, Jacob was an old man and about to pass. His son Joseph came in to say his goodbyes. He brought with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. When Jacob saw his grandsons, he called them over and hugged them. He said to Joseph, I am adopting your two boys as my own sons. They will inherit the same thing you and my other sons inherit. What's interesting is these. Two boys were born from an Egyptian mother. The Egyptians back then worshiped idols. They didn't believe in Jehovah. Didn't seem like God would have anything to do with them. But God doesn't hold against you how you were raised, what family you come from. There may have been dysfunction, people that compromised, made poor choices, but that does not disqualify you. You can be the difference maker. You can be the one that sets a new standard. When Jacob said, I'm adopting your two boys, this was significant. They were grandsons, not sons. They should have had to wait 40 years to get the inheritance from their father, another generation. But because Jacob adopted them,

he put these two boys four decades down the road. One good break and they were a generation ahead. God was showing us how he doesn't always follow a normal timeline. He has some blessings that are gonna put you a generation ahead. Everything's in order, in line, routine, and then out of nowhere, a generational blessing. The scripture says, you will live in houses that you didn't build. You will eat from vineyards that you didn't plant. Those are generational blessings. To reach the fullness of your destiny, it's not going to happen only at a normal pace. There are going to be some of these fast forward moments, favor that catapult you ahead. Times like with Philip, that you find yourself further. You can't explain it. You didn't earn it. It wasn't on your schedule. It was the hand of God accelerating your destiny, thrusting you years ahead. And yes, I know there are seasons of waiting, times when we're not making any progress. We have to endure and do the right thing when nothing is changing, pass those tests. But as God carries you, you're also going to come in to these moments of favor where he catapults you ahead. You feel like you're falling behind, then God hits fast forward.

You are a grandson, so to speak, but God steps in and says, I'm adopting you as my son. He put you a generation ahead, 40 years down the road. And you may have a situation now, and you don't see how it's going to resolve. How are you going to accomplish the dream? How are you going to get well? It's been so long. You don't know what God is up to. You don't know when he's about to hit fast forward. What you think is going to take your whole lifetime, like these boys, God's going to do a quick work. It's going to happen in a fraction of the time. December of 2003, we leased this building from the city of Houston for 60 years. We always wanted to own it, but the lease was the best option at the time. Deep down, I knew sometime during those 60 years, God would make a way where we could purchase it. I was 40 years old at the time, and I didn't want to be down at city hall when I'm a hundred trying to renew the lease. I need to be at home taking care of my brother, Paul. I said, God, let me purchase it in my lifetime, not leave it up in the air for the next generation. Seven years into our 60 year lease, the city was running low on tax revenue. They decided to sell off some of their properties. The mayor called and asked if we wanted to purchase the building.

I said, we did, but it would depend on the price. A building like this now would be $500 million. She said the city would do an appraisal and get back with us. They had to appraise the property based on the fact that our lease would still be honored. So whoever purchased it wouldn't take possession for many years. The appraisal came back, not at 200 million, not a hundred million, not 50, not 25. They said, you can purchase it for $7 million. We not only got it for an unbelievable price, but what should have taken 60 years, God did 53 years sooner. We didn't see it coming. We didn't go after it. The mayor called us. When God hits fast forward, you're going to see things that boggle your mind. You haven't seen, heard, or imagined what he has in store for you. You think it's going to take 30 years to get out of debt. You've run all the numbers, projected your income, calculated the payments. By the time you're 123, you're going to be debt free. You don't know what God is up to. He's already lined up these fast forward moments. He's already scheduled the right people to call you, the good breaks to chase you down, favor that will catapult you ahead.

David had these fast forward moments. He was anointed by Samuel to be the. King of Israel, but he didn't go to the palace. He went back to the shepherd's fields. For years, he took care of his father's sheep. You can imagine the battle taking place in his mind. Thoughts saying, you were anointed. Samuel chose you. Why are you still out here? Must have been a mistake. You're falling behind. You can be anointed, but not appointed yet. Don't try to take matters into your own hands. Trust God's timing. Let him do it his way. When we think we're falling behind, it's easy to get impatient. Try to force things to happen, but God knows how to make up for lost time. When he hits fast forward, it will thrust you ahead. David kept being faithful. He didn't complain. He didn't get bitter. He kept excelling right where he was. Eventually, he was called to the palace to play the harp for King Saul, but Saul was jealous of David. He tried to kill him. David had to flee for his life, lived out in the desert on the run. The whole time, he knew God had anointed him, but there was no sign that it was ever going to happen. Saul wasn't an old man. He could have been the king for another 50 years. Everything was routine out in the desert. David wasn't making any progress, nothing changing. He was no closer to the throne than he was 13 years earlier when Samuel anointed him. One day when David and his men were away on a trip, bandits came in and burned down their city and stole all their possessions, kidnapped their wives and children. It was the greatest defeat David had ever suffered. His men were so distraught, they talked about stoning David. And sitting in the ruins of his city, something rose up in David. He told his men to get ready. They were going to go attack the enemy. They found them partying and celebrating their victory. David surprised them. They went in and defeated them. They recovered all their possessions, all their family, and all their children. Three days later, word came to David that King Saul and his son Jonathan were killed in a battle. David was made the king. It looked like that was decades away, but God hit fast-forward. 72 hours after David suffered his greatest attack, he was made the king. When it feels like your dream

is a long way off, that's a sign that God is up to something. He's about to do a quick work. Don't let the circumstances fool you. How unlikely it is, how impossible it looks. David was anointed to be king when there was a man on the throne that could have been there for decades. Saul was strong, healthy, had loyal followers. On top of that, his son was next in line. All the circumstances said David was stuck. It would be years and years, but God has a fast-forward button. He knows how to accelerate your destiny. When you're under attack and seems like everything's coming against you, God is setting you up to thrust you forward. A friend of mine wanted to buy some property to build a school on. He had a few acres, but he needed more. There were 10 acres behind him connecting to his property. He had bought his land for $4,000 an acre. When he acquired about the new property, they wanted $25,000 an acre, more than five times what he paid for his. He was disappointed. He needed more room to expand, but no doors were opening. A year went by and nothing happened. Another year, three years, four years. Looked like he was falling behind. Thoughts told him it's too late. He'd missed his chance. It would never happen now, but God knows how to make up for lost time. He knows how to take a grandson and adopt him as a son. One good break will put you decades ahead. This is where faith comes in. God, I don't see anything happening. I feel like I'm stuck, but I believe you have fast forward moments in my future. God, I believe that acceleration is on the way. One day, a city official came by his office and told him about 120 acres that was right out in front of his property. It all had street frontage. It had been foreclosed on five times. They had sold it and taken it back again and again. He said, we've been authorized to get rid of this. Make us an offer and we'll see what we can do. The property had nine buildings on it that he could use for a school. He offered the man $200,000. The man shook his hand and said, the property is yours. That other party wanted $250,000 for 10 acres. He bought 120 acres with nine Buildings for 200,000 that was a generational blessing. He not only has property for his school But there's enough for the next generation to expand What should have taken him 50 years to acquire God gave him in a fraction of the time

It may seem like you're falling behind stay encouraged. God has some of these fast forward moments for you He's about to accelerate things in your life like with Philip. You're gonna find yourself further Things you couldn't explain like Manasseh and Ephraim Generational blessing good breaks that will put you decades ahead You may have gone through disappointments. Nothing looks like it'll ever change Like David you could be just 72 hours from seeing your greatest victory now thoughts will tell you this is not for you today You'd never get any good breaks. You're stuck where you are. Don't believe those lies. God has the remote control He's about to do some quick works what looks like is a long way off get ready It's gonna happen sooner than you think I believe and declare Acceleration is coming to your family God is speeding things up the right people finding you good breaks chasing you down Dreams come into pass healing freedom abundance Sooner than you think 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 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