Upstream Blessings | Joel Osteen

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, 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. I'd like to start with something funny. I heard about this man. He was quietly reading the newspaper when his wife snuck up behind him and hit him on the head with a frying pan. He said, what was that for? She said that was for that piece of paper I found in your pocket with the name Mary Lou on it. He said, oh honey, that's just one of the horses that I bet on at the racetrack last week. She apologized, went about her business. Two days later, she hit him on the head with a bigger frying pan. After he woke up, he said, what in the world was that for? She said, your horse just called. All right y'all, there's no spiritual value, but anyway, here we go. Ready? 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 upstream blessings. We all have situations where we're praying and believing, but we don't see anything happening. Our health isn't improving. Our child isn't turning around. We haven't met the right person. It's easy to get discouraged and think that God didn't hear us and maybe it's not meant to be, but what you can't see is God is working upstream. He said in Isaiah, I will go ahead of you and make crooked places straight. There are things he's already done. The moment you prayed, he set the miracle into motion. He lined up the healing, the right people, the breaks you need. Now the key is you have to stay in faith until those

upstream blessings make it down to you. Because thoughts will tell you it's never going to happen. Nothing's changing. Don't get your hopes up. Don't get talked out of it. If you're going to see upstream blessings, you have to have upstream faith. I'm not moved by what I see. I know God is working. I know things have changed in my favor. I know this answer is on the way. When you have that kind of attitude, it's just a matter of time before you see what God has done upstream. And this is what Joshua had to do. Moses had just died. Now Joshua was leading the Israelites toward the promised land. They were camped at the Jordan River. They needed to cross, but it was harvest season. The Jordan was overflowing its banks, was nearly a mile across. The current was so strong, so forceful, there was no way. But God told Joshua to tell the priest to take the Ark of the Covenant, that represented the presence of God, and to walk into the Jordan River. This was the first test of Joshua's leadership. Two million Israelites were watching with great anticipation, believing that the waters were going to break apart like the Red Sea. The priests were slowly walking toward those banks, people praying, believing God let it happen. As they got closer and closer, it was more and more intense, this incredible drama. Finally, their feet touched the water, this big moment, and nothing happened. Everything looked just the same. They went in ankle deep, nothing. Knee deep, still nothing. What do you do when you've done the right thing, but it doesn't work out? You took steps of faith. You prayed. You went the extra mile, but the waters didn't part. You didn't get the contract. Your health didn't improve. The problem hasn't resolved. That's right where Joshua was. He could have thought, God, where are you? Why isn't it parting? I

did what you told me to. I put the priest out front. I can hear people whispering, we're never going to cross this river. Joshua's sure not like Moses. He doesn't have it. They didn't see any sign of things changing. Nothing looked any different. River's still swollen, current just as strong. But the scripture says, the moment the feet of the priest touched the water at the river's edge, the water began piling up at a town upstream called Adam. Adam was 20 miles from where they were. The miracle had happened. They just couldn't see it yet. 20 miles upstream, God had dammed up the waters. He stopped the flow. It was just a matter of time before the Israelites would see the effect. of what God had already done upstream. The priest stood in the water and waited and waited. I can imagine in a couple of hours, as all the Israelites were standing there, kind of disappointed, thinking they were stuck, one of them said, is it my imagination or is the current not as strong? It doesn't look like it's flowing as fast. Another spoke up and said, I think you're right. It doesn't look like it's as swollen as it was. I think it's gone down a little. It kept getting slower and slower, less and less water, until finally the whole riverbed was dry. The Israelites were able to walk across. Like with them, there are things God has done in your life upstream. He's already taken care of what you're worried about. He's already dammed up those waters, stopped the sickness, broken the addiction, lined up the right person. Now you may not be able to see it yet. All the circumstances look just the same. The river's still swollen. Your business is still struggling. The medical report hasn't changed. Your loved one's still off course. Don't let

what's happening downstream talk you out of what God has done upstream. If you're going to see that upstream blessing, you have to keep believing, keep praising, keep expecting. Walk by faith and not by sight. I don't see any sign of it. Nothing's improving, but God, I know you're working. I know you're faithful. I know what you promised me is already on the way. What's significant is the priest stayed in the water with the ark of the covenant until the waters receded. They could have waited five minutes and thought, well, we did what we were told to do. Nothing happened. Let's go back home. After 10 minutes, they could have thought, we're wasting our time. 30 minutes. Come on, man. We look like fools out here. Joshua didn't hear from God. He had too much pizza last night. After an hour, I'm tired. My feet are freezing. It's not meant to be. No, these priests stayed there in faith. As they were standing in these waters that didn't part, in circumstances that weren't changing, every thought saying it's not going to happen. I can hear them declaring the Lord is good and his mercy endures for generations. I can hear them singing way maker, promise keeper. You're the light in the darkness. I can hear one of them saying, God, you've done it in the past. We know you're doing it this time. You being for us is more than what's against us. We will make it into our promised land. They stood there in faith. They stood there knowing God was working. They stood there expecting things to change. They didn't see how. They didn't know when, but one thing they knew was that God was faithful, that he was in control, that what he purposed would come to pass. When you're standing in those waters, believing for things to change, waiting for what God promised, the way you're going to stay in

the water and not give up is by keeping the presence of God on your life, by praising him when you don't see anything changing, by thanking him that it's on the way when there's no sign of it, by declaring his promises in the middle of water that's not moving. This medical report says I'm not going to get well, but God, I believe you're restoring health back into me. My child's off course, but Lord, I want to thank you that as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Business is slow. I lost that contract, but God, you said even in famine, the righteous would have more than enough. Lord, I think I will lend and not borrow, that I will have a bountiful year. Don't come out of that water. Your obedience stepping into the water is what activated the miracle, and it's going to be your obedience of staying in the water that will cause you to see what God's done upstream. The miracle was set in motion when you pray. God dispatched the angels with the healing, the favor, the freedom, but you may not see it right away. The waters may not part immediately. This is a test of your faith. A lot of people get out of the water. Oh, nothing happened. This doesn't work for me. No, the upstream blessing is there, but you have to have upstream faith knowing that it's coming for it to get to you. Daniel chapter 10, Daniel had been praying and fasting, asking God to help him. Didn't seem like anything was happening. Nothing was changing. He was tempted to come out of the water, get discouraged and give up on what he was believing for. But one morning he was out by the river and he had a vision. An angel appeared unto him and said in verse 12, Daniel, from the first day you prayed, your request was heard in heaven. When we don't see anything happening, we can think, God must not have heard us. Nothing's changing.

No, the moment you prayed, God heard your request. The angel went on to say, God sent me with the answer, but for 21 days, the prince of Persia blocked me. Then Michael the archangel came and helped me break through the opposition. Notice the first day he prayed, something happened upstream. God set the miracle into motion, but for 21 days, the waters didn't recede, so to speak. For 21 days, every thought told Daniel, what happened by now? It's not meant to be. Daniel could have been talked out of it, but he had upstream faith. His attitude was, I know there are things God has already done that I can't see right now. I'm going to keep believing, expecting, praying, knowing that it's on the way. Like with Daniel, the moment you prayed, according to God's Word, he did something upstream. He dispatched the angel. He set things into motion. You can't see it right now, but upstream, things have changed in your favor. Upstream healing has been released. Upstream the right people have been lined up. Upstream the breaks you need, the restoration, the vindication has been put in place. It's in your future. Don't let what's happening downstream talk you out of the blessings that are upstream. Angels have been dispatched with your name on them, bringing healing, favor, abundance. Now do your part and have upstream faith. God, I believe the moment I prayed, you not only heard me, but you answered my prayer. I'm not moved by what I don't see. I'm moved by what I know. I know you're faithful. I know I'm healed. I know I'm blessed. I know my children are mighty in the land.

I know my latter days will be better than my former days. When Joshua was standing at the Jordan River, I'm sure his mind went back to a time when he was much younger. He and the Israelites had just come out of slavery. They were at the Red Sea, but the Pharaoh changed his mind and came chasing after them. It was a dead end. The sea on one side, the Pharaoh and the other armies on the other side. He saw his mentor, Moses, hold up his rod. There was this great wind with such force that it pushed back the water. Instantly it parted. Those two million people walked through this dry path with walls of water, 20 feet high on each side, the hand of God supernaturally making a way. Well fast forward many years later when Joshua was at the Jordan. He sent these priests into the water. I'm sure he was expecting this huge wind, something supernatural to instantly push the water back, make walls where they could pass through. This time nothing happened. They didn't feel any wind, see any water moving, hear anything different. But just because God did it one way doesn't mean he's going to do it that way every time. Sometimes the miracle is going to take place, but it's going to be upstream. It was no less of a miracle. It just didn't happen where they could see it right there. If they would have had cell phones, someone would have called. Hey, it happened. The Jordan quit flowing. See it's easy to have faith when you have a Red Sea miracle. When God instantly turns it around, you can see it, feel it, touch it. It's easy to say, God, you're good. Thank you for what you've done. But real faith is when you don't see anything happening.

Nothing's improving, but you thank God that he's working upstream. You know, the moment you prayed, things shifted in your favor. You say, God, I don't see it, but I believe you're working. I don't feel any better, but I know I'm healed. The angel hasn't shown up yet, but I know my breakthrough is on the way. See, downstream faith says, I'll believe when I see things changing, when my health starts to improve, when I get that promotion, when my boss begins to treat me better. Joel, then I'll thank God. Then I'll have a good attitude. Here's the problem. You won't see upstream blessings if you only have downstream faith. And yes, God is good. I know sometimes you'll see a Red Sea part. God does it instantly, begins to turn it around. But there will be times that you come to a Jordan River. You prayed, you stood in faith, you declared his promises, but the waters didn't part. The wind didn't blow. didn't blow. The angel didn't show up. Are you going to get discouraged, give up on what you're believing for, only have downstream faith, or are you going to dig your heels in and say, I'm not moved by what I don't see? God, I know upstream you've already changed things. You've already dammed up those waters, stopped this sickness, lined up the promotion, set the right people. Lord, I thank you that it is on the way. God has upstream blessings for you. Things that you're believing for, he's already set in motion, but he's looking for upstream faith. Don't get talked out of it. Don't let what hasn't happened, how long it's been, how unlikely it looks, convince

you to quit believing. Stay in those waters and keep the arc of the covenant with you. Keep the presence of God. Lord, I thank you that you're fighting my battles. Thank you that what you promised me is on the way. I know your favor surrounds me. Goodness and mercy are following me. What you have purposed for my life will come to pass. When my mother was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer back in 1981, the doctors gave her only a few weeks to live. There was no treatment that they could give her. They sent her home at 46 years old, basically to die. On December 11th, she and my father laid on the ground in their bedroom and asked God for a miracle. They prayed the prayer of faith, not God, why did this happen? God just let her die in peace. It must be her time to go. No, they said, God, we know you're the healer. We know you can do what medicine cannot do. God, we're asking you to give her more years, to restore health back to her. God, you said with long life, you would satisfy us. They prayed a bold prayer. Like Moses, they held up that staff, but the waters didn't part. She wasn't at a Red Sea. She was at a Jordan River. Nothing happened. She didn't feel any better, look any better. The medical report didn't change. My mother could have been depressed. Thoughts were telling her, you're done. You heard what the doctor said, you've got a few weeks to live, just accept it. But my mother believed that when they prayed, God did something upstream, that the tide began to turn, that the miracle was set into motion. Like those priests, my mother never got out of the water. She didn't see anything improving, but that didn't change her mindset. I would hear her going through the house. I will live and not die and declare the works of the Lord. God is restoring health back into me. What he started in my life, he

will finish. She had upstream faith. I don't see it, feel it, no sign of it, but I believe it's already done. I believe upstream things have changed, that the angel has been dispatched. Months went by and nothing really happened. No sign of improvement, but we begin to realize she's still here. They said a few weeks and it's been six months. She's not any worse. It's been nine months. She hadn't gone downhill. We realized the waters were receding. The healing was coming little by little. She got better and better until one day, a few years later, she was back to normal, completely healthy. No medical explanation, no logical solution, was the hand of God. But here's my point. It was upstream. The miracle had taken place, but it hadn't flowed down to her yet. If you only have downstream faith, Joel, I believe it when I see it, that's going to keep you from upstream blessings. The things you're concerned about now, dreams you want to accomplish, situations you need to turn around, you'll be tempted to get discouraged. Think that God hasn't heard you. Why hasn't it happened? Can I encourage you? It's upstream. God has already taken care of it. Now stay in faith while it flows downstream. Don't get talked out of it while you're waiting for things to change. When Moses was 120 years old, he was about to die. He told the Israelites that he wasn't going to cross the Jordan River and go into the promised land, but that Joshua was their new leader and they were to follow him. He said in Deuteronomy 31, the Lord himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy the nations and give you the land. He was saying, you're going to face situations where you don't think you can make it. The people are too big, the opposition too strong, but don't worry. God is going ahead of you. He's going to cross over and do.

what you can't do. He was telling them there are going to be upstream blessings waiting for you, things that you can't see right now, favor, influence, resources. The Lord, your God, is going ahead of you. He was getting them prepared in their thinking to not let the circumstances talk them out of what God had already done. He said in verse 8, do not be afraid or discouraged for the Lord, your God, is the one who goes before you. He will never fail you or forsake you. Three times in six verses, he said, God will go ahead of you. God is saying to you what he said to the Israelites, you're going to come in to some upstream blessings, things that God has already made happen, opportunity, healing, abundance. God is going before you right now. Here's the key. Don't let downstream doubt keep you from upstream blessings. Instead of thinking about how big the obstacle is, how you never pay your house off, never meet the right person, why don't you have upstream faith? God, I thank you that you're going ahead of me opening doors that no person can shut, doing what medicine cannot do, taking me where I cannot go on my own. Father, I thank you for your upstream blessings. A few years ago, my brother Paul was in Haiti right after a big earthquake. He and a team of surgeons were operating on all the injured people. At one point, the main monitor they were using during surgery to see the patient's blood pressure and vital signs went out. Without that monitor, they couldn't do any more surgeries. The man in charge started searching the hospital. They looked everywhere, couldn't find one. Paul and his team started making calls, but nothing was available. It would take several days to have one flown in from the states and looked like they were at a standstill. A few hours

later, the hospital administrator, a local Haitian man, came in carrying a brand new monitor still in the box. They opened it, and it was exactly what they needed. It had all the right connections. Paul and the other surgeons were so surprised that he would have that exact monitor. He told how two years earlier, he was at a hospital administrator's conference in the states. Everyone that attended was entered into a contest for a door prize. Out of several thousand people, it just so happened that he won this monitor. He had no need for it at the time. It was still in storage, but God is going ahead of you. He knows what you're going to need in the future. That was an upstream blessing. God had the solution before they had the problem. He said in Isaiah, before you call, I will answer you. That's why we can live in peace, not worried about our children, stressed over our health, losing sleep over our finances. God is going ahead of you. There are things he's doing right now that you can't see. Maybe the waters are not parting. You don't see any sign of things changing. That's okay. Have upstream faith. God is working. He's taking care of what you're concerned about. The angel has already been dispatched with the answer. There are upstream blessings coming your way. Genesis 24, Abraham was living in the land of Canaan. He told his main assistant to go back to his original hometown, which was 400 miles away, and find a wife for his son, Isaac. You can imagine the pressure on this man. You want me to find a wife for your son? He said in verse five, what if I can't find a young woman that will travel that far from home? Abraham said, the Lord my God will send his angel ahead of you, and he will see to it that you find the right wife for my son. Notice how Abraham

believed in upstream blessings. He could have thought, you're right. Man, good luck. Just do the best you can. No, his attitude was, God is going before me. He's already arranged what I need. I know the right person is on the way. This man arrived at Abraham's hometown. He was waiting out at the stream. He prayed, God, let the right girl for Isaac not only give me a drink of water when I ask, but let her ask to water my camels as well. That way I'll know she's the one. This beautiful young woman came to the stream. He said, I'm traveling through town. Would you mind getting me a drink? She said, sure, and let me get water for your camels too. The first girl that showed up was a divine connection. Her name was Rebecca. She became Isaac's wife. It's easy to go through life worried. How's it going to work out? I don't see anything happening. What if I don't meet the right person? Stay in peace. God has upstream blessings waiting for you. He's going before you right now. He's already sent the angel ahead of you, lining up the right people, the good breaks, the healing. Now do your part and have upstream faith. The Jordan River may not be parting. You don't see anything changing, but upstream the miracle has already taken place. God has stopped the water. It's just a matter of time before you see things change in your favor. Don't let what you can't see talk you out of what has already happened. Walk by faith and not by sight. Keep believing, keep expecting, keep praising. If you'll do this, I believe and declare you're about to see upstream blessings. Like the Israelites, those waters are about to recede. What you've been praying about is on the way. Like with Abraham, the right people are going to be waiting for you. Breakthroughs are coming. Promotion, healing, the fullness of your destiny 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.