Winning Private Battles | 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 and I heard about this five year old boy named Tommy. Was his grandmother's birthday and after wishing her a happy birthday, he said, "Grandmother, how old are you?" She said, "Tommy, I'm 39 and holding." He thought about it a moment. Said, "Grandmother, how old would you be if you let go?" (audience laughing) 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 winning private battles. We all have two lives. There's the life that everyone sees and then there's the life that only we see. We know how to smile in public while we're hurting in private.

We can walk into work competently but deep down wonder if we have what it takes. We look like we have it all together but behind closed doors we're fighting an addiction. You can be winning battles on the outside but losing battles on the inside. You can be admired publicly but hurting privately. What do you do when you're living with a contradiction? You're projecting one thing but you know it's not the whole story. Voices come trying to condemn you. You're not who you say you are. Look what you're having to hide. You should be better than this. But God doesn't condemn you for having contradictions. He doesn't disqualify you because you don't have it all together. He sees you being your best at work where you're dealing with that anxiety and being good to friends while you're fighting loneliness loving your family while you're dealing with shame. God sees what you can't show. He's not faulting you. He's the one that's going to heal you. He's going to help you conquer the contradictions. But the enemy would love for us to keep hiding and feeling ashamed. Joel, if people knew who I really am, they knew what I struggled with.

If they saw what happened to me, can I encourage you? Everyone struggles with something. The people that look like they have it all together, they have issues too. There's no shame in dealing with private battles. You don't have to go through life hiding, pretending because you have contradictions. That's not how your story ends. Healing is coming. There was a man in the scripture named Naaman. Second Kings chapter five says, he was the captain of the Syrian army, a great man, highly regarded, a valiant soldier. Through him, God had given Syria great victories. But notice the next phrase, though he was a mighty warrior, he suffered with leprosy. You can be a mighty warrior and yet suffer with something. You love God, you work hard, but you're dealing with depression, fighting anxiety, struggling with an addiction. What's interesting is the leprosy didn't keep Naaman from doing his job. He covered it up. He had on a uniform, gloves. Nobody knew anything was wrong with him. They couldn't see his skin. When he walked down the street, that uniform immediately gained him respect and honor. People looked in admiration thinking,

there's that mighty warrior. He's brought us great victories. Uniforms in that culture weren't just functional, they symbolized authority, status and strength. Everywhere he went, that uniform said, I'm strong, I'm successful, I'm confident. That's what everyone saw, but underneath that uniform, his skin was all diseased. I can imagine him coming home after a big day, winning a battle, celebrating with his men, feeling so good, but he walks in his bedroom, unbuttons his shirt, he sees his skin, all ravaged with leprosy and looks at his arms, and that skin is rotting away. Nobody knows what he's dealing with in private. Nobody knows the battles he's fighting behind the scenes. He's winning in public, but these private battles are keeping him from enjoying the blessings. How many of us are like Neiman? We have to put on our uniform each day to cover up what we're dealing with, the insecurities, through the pain, working hard despite the loneliness. You have a smile despite a child that's breaking your heart. You've given your best despite that addiction that you haven't been able to overcome. God doesn't condemn you for having contradictions. You can be chosen, but you're struggling. You're gifted, but you're hurting, you're successful but insecure. I love how Neiman didn't let this private battle keep him from functioning publicly. He could have called in sick, king, I've come down with leprosy. I'm done.

I've got this personal problem. I've got to resign every morning despite what he saw on his skin, despite the thoughts of doubt and fear he put on that uniform. He dressed like a warrior. He walked with confidence. He spoke with authority. His attitude was, "This contradiction is not going to stop my purpose. This private battle is not going to keep me from excelling in public." He didn't live depressed, condemned because of something he wasn't able to overcome. Some of these contradictions you didn't choose, you inherited. They were passed down, but God has raised you up to break the negative cycle. You are the one to set a new standard. There's no shame in putting on your uniform and pursuing your destiny. You could be sitting on the sidelines, nursing wounds, feeling guilty. No, you're a Neiman. You're winning public battles while you're dealing with private enemies. A mark of maturity is when you can put that uniform on and not live condemned and down on yourself because you have private struggles. The same God that's helping you win in public, he's going to help you win in private. He sees what's limiting you. He knows the secret struggles, things that you've tried to overcome. You want to change, but you haven't been able to. Your time is coming. He's going to step in and help you do what you couldn't do on your own. Now, don't believe those lies that it's permanent. You'll never feel good about yourself. Joel, this is just who I am. I'll always have to cover up my leprosy, hide my weakness. I'd be embarrassed if people saw what I'm really like. That's not who you are.

That's a temporary condition. You are a child of the Most High God, hand-picked, created to do great work. It's significant how the Scripture introduces name. It says that he was a captain, a great man, respected, honored, who had won great victories, a mighty warrior, but he was a leper. Notice how God listed his purpose first, who he was, this powerful man and what he was called to do. And then at the end, it listed his weakness, and he was a leper. The enemy would love to reverse the order, deceive you into thinking of yourself by your weakness. Let that be the first thing on your mind. I'm a leper, I'm depressed, I'm not good enough, I've got this addiction, I've made too many mistakes, that's all secondary. That's what you struggle with, that's not who you are. If God was introducing you today, he would say, "Here's a mighty warrior, here's a highly favored person, here's a masterpiece, strong, competent, a world-changer, a history-maker. Don't let the weakness become your identity, let your purpose become your identity." There was a young Israelite girl that worked as a maid for Naomom. She had been captured by the Syrians, forced into slavery and assigned to Naomom's wife. When Naomomom came home each night and took off his uniform, she was right there to take it from them and wash it. She got to see what no one else could see. In public, he was all covered up. That uniform said strength, power, success, but in private, with no uniform, she could see the lepercy. He couldn't hide this dreaded disease. I can imagine some of those moments were very dramatic as he took off his uniform and she saw the lepercy for the first time there was this silence. She stood there and all thinking, "This man that's so powerful and influential, he's not who we think he is, he has this hidden disease."

He could defeat armies publicly, but he couldn't win this he had to face the condition that embarrassed him. If he could keep it covered up, he's okay. But now this young woman knows his hidden struggles. Like name men, we don't want people to see what we're hiding. We project confidence. We don't want them to see the insecurity. We project success, but we can be hiding shame, discouragement, habits that we're not proud of. This young woman could have been bitter, angry. I mean, this was the man that took her captive and conquered her city. She had every right to say good for you, Naman. You deserve it. I'm glad you're suffering. But this young maid is a picture of God. She knew his private struggles. She knew his pain and what he was covering. She didn't judge him. She didn't condemn him. She didn't go tell everyone. She loved him. She had compassion and wanted to help. And sometimes we try to hide our struggles, not just from people, but from God. We know we're not measuring up. We should do better. When we get it all together, then we can go to God. God knows everything about you and he's not faulting you. He's not disqualifying you. He's here to help you overcome. It says in Psalms, God knows your words before you speak them.

He knows your thoughts before you think them. You don't have to hide things from God and pretend you can take off your uniform. You can be real and be vulnerable. He's a safe place, someone that you can trust. This young maid was the opposite of Naman. She had no influence, no authority, so many things against her. Number one, she was a slave, no freedom. She was young, no experience. She was a woman in that culture. Women were second class. She was from the enemy army. We don't even like you, but God will use unexpected people to help you. People you could easily overlook, discount. They don't have the experience. They're not up to your level. They don't look like you, too young, too old. Don't write off who God brings across your path. May not be what you thought. God used this servant girl, the least one that Naman knew. Not a general, not a colonel, not the mayor. This young lady said, "Naman, if you will go see the prophet in Israel, he will pray for you and my God will heal you." Naman could have thought, "Who do you think you are? Since when did you start telling me what to do? I'm a commander. You're a slave. I'm respected, well-known, influential. Nobody knows you. Pride will keep you from getting free. Ego will talk you out of doing what you need to do.

Naman had conquered nations. He'd stood before kings and leaders. But his miracle started when someone's society had overlooked with the least of these. God will send people to help you, but it may not be what you're thinking. Will you humble yourself and be open to what God says through an unexpected voice? A neighbor you barely know, a child, or someone you run into at the grocery store? Naman had to make a decision, "Am I going to stay here where it's comfortable? Where I've learned to manage my weakness and cover up my leprosy? Or am I going to take a step of fame and do what this young maid is asking me to do?" We all have these destiny moments in life. We know God is asking us to take off the uniform, to quit pretending, to get real, but we have to make a move. Maybe it's to put down our pride and ask for help, join a support group, forgive someone, or to quit numbing the pain through alcohol, addiction, this overeating. God came that you might be free. It's okay if you've had to cover things with that uniform for a season, but you don't have to cover them your whole life. There is no shame in having contradictions. We all do, but there is shame for going 30 years and never dealing with it. That's not your destiny. Maybe my voice is the voice God is using to say not to go to the prophet like in the Old Testament, but how about going directly to God? Call out to him for help. When you get honest, when you take off your uniform, say, "God, I don't like this leprosy that I have to cover up. I don't like this depression putting on a smile on the outside, but empty on the inside. When you ask for his help, often, God will give you an assignment, something you have to do, a change you have to make. God didn't just heal Neiman, he said, "You have to go see the Prophet." Would he listen to the least likely voice?

Would he obey an unusual order to travel to an opposing country, the nation he had just defeated and asked for help? Neiman took this step of faith, imagine his staff loading up the animals, getting the supplies, and they asked where they're going. He said, "We're going to see a Prophet in Israel." I can hear them talking, "Why do we need to go to a Prophet?" Neiman's a commander. He has all this power, the whole army at his disposal. But some battles you can't win with physical power. It's a spiritual battle. Some addictions you can't defeat with natural efforts, you're going to need supernatural strength. The anxiety, depression, trouble in a relationship, it may be too much for you, but it's not too much for our God. He has all power. He knows what's limiting you. He sees what you're covering. He's not faulting you for wearing the uniform, but that uniform is not your destiny. Freedom is coming. Healing is coming. Great news are coming. God is going to help you do what you can't do on your own. Neiman showed up at the Prophet Elijah's house after this long journey, over a hundred miles, difficult terrain, plus he was suffering with this disease, finally made it knocked on the door with his big entourage. Elijah's assistant came out and said, "Elijah said, 'Go wash in the Jordan River seven times and you'll be healed. Close the door.'" Neiman was offended. He thought, "You mean I came all this way and the Prophet is not even going to come to

the door? Does he know who I am? I'm a commander. People stand when I walk in the room. I cancel kings and leaders and you don't have time to see me. There will always be tests before the breakthrough. Are you willing to swallow your pride and do what God's asking you to do? Neiman went on to say, "I thought the Prophet would come out, wave his hand over me, and I'd be healed. I don't want to wash in the Jordan. That river is dirty. We have cleaner rivers back home in Syria. Don't let preconceived ideas keep you from your healing. God may not do it the way you were thinking." Neiman had to wash not just in any river, but the Jordan was dirty. Sometimes what God asked you to do is not going to make sense. If you're trying to reason it out and figure what's appropriate, what seems like a good idea, then you'll talk to yourself out of it. Neiman was upset and he was about to go back home. One of his men said, "Neiman, if he had asked you to do a hard thing, you would do it. Why don't you do this simple thing?" He went and washed in the Jordan. First time he came up, nothing happened. Second time, nothing. Third time, nothing. Don't you know thoughts of doubt and discouragement came? Neiman, you look like a fool out here. You're washing in a dirty river, wasting your time. Don't let the enemy talk you out of what God told you to do. Keep on washing.

Keep on trusting. Keep on believing. Not move by what you see, but move by what God promised you. Sixth time, nothing but on that seventh time, he came up out of the water and his skin was as clear as a baby. He was completely healed. Now when he put that uniform on, it wasn't to hide anything. He didn't have anything to cover. He had conquered the contradictions. He had won the private battles. That's what God is going to help you to do. You may not be hiding leprosy today, but perhaps there's something you're having to cover. Weaknesses, struggles, things you're not proud of. You seem confident that you're having to cover insecurity. You always have that smile, but you're covering the hurt and disappointment. You look like you have it together, but there's that addiction you're having to cover. It doesn't make you a bad person, but God didn't create you to live with contradictions. They are temporary. He's going to send the right people, maybe someone that's unexpected. He's going to give you an assignment, something you have to do, an act of fame. It's easy to make excuses, keep putting on the uniform, covering what we don't like. Naaman had to wash in a dirty river. The healing wasn't in the water, the healing was in the obedience. Don't put off what God is asking you to do. Winning private battles often requires doing something uncomfortable, forgiving someone, asking for help, changing friends, turning off that computer.

A pastor friend of mine was very strong minister, very effective and well respected. His church was growing. He'd speak at the big conferences. On the outside, he was successful. Well-ligh, making a difference. But he said, "I preached great victory on Sundays, "but on Mondays, I was so depressed, "I couldn't get out of bed." He encouraged everyone else, but he felt empty on the inside. Having contradictions can make us feel bad about ourselves, and man, I'm a fake. I'm not who people think I am. But some of the great people in the Bible had contradictions. Elijah called down fire from heaven one time. God sent a lightning bolt that killed 450 false prophets in an instant. He was this powerful mighty man of faith. But do you know, 24 hours later, Elijah was so depressed, he didn't want to live. He said, "God, take me home, I'm done." God doesn't disqualify you for having contradictions. You know what God did for Elijah? He cooked him dinner. He had an angel take him water and put flour on hot coals. And when Elijah woke up, he had freshly baked bread. He ate that food.

God, his strength back continued on his journey. The enemy would love for you to live condemned because you have contradictions, things you have to cover, you're not proud of. Maybe weaknesses that you inherited. But being down on yourself doesn't help you to get better. Living condemned then, I'm not who I say I am. I'm a fake, I'm an imposter. That's going to push you further down. Now I'm not saying to be okay and learn to live with it. The right attitude is yes, I have this area that I struggle in, but it's not who I am. This weakness is not my identity. I am who God says I am. Like God told Neiman, you were a mighty warrior, a leader, honorable, influential. Then it said, Neiman had leprosy. The weakness is secondary. Don't let it become primary whereas the main thing you focus on. It's temporary and it's coming to an end. The pastor wore the uniform well every Sunday strong, positive, confident, but underneath he was hurting him. One day he told a friend what he was dealing with and how he needed help. That day was the turning point. He brought it out into the opening, got into counseling, good support grew,

friends to lift him up. Today he's totally free and healed. He puts on that uniform now and has nothing to hide. But he made this statement, depression didn't break me, hiding it dead. You weren't made to keep things covered up. It's not healthy. Yes, maybe for a season, but at some point you have to deal with it. Get honest with yourself and be honest with God. He already knows what you're covering. When you go to him in humility and honesty, he doesn't condemn you, he'll help you to change. It's interesting that Neiman wasn't a believer in Jehovah at that time. The Syrians worship idols and other gods. Look at how good God is. Even though he wasn't a believer, God had this little maid speak to him, had him wash in the Jordan so he could be healed. Maybe you find yourself where Neiman was. You don't necessarily worship God, you don't follow Jesus. This is all new to you. God is calling you today. He wants to not only help you conquer the contradictions, but he wants to put you on a new path to freedom, to wholeness so you can fulfill your purpose. Neiman was so thrilled that he was healed, he went back with his whole entourage to Elijah's house, to thank him.

This time Elijah came out, he told him how grateful he was, tried to give him gifts, but Elijah wouldn't take anything. Neiman had one final request. He said Elijah, let me load up two of my mules with dirt from the Jordan River banks and take it back home. From now on, whenever I worship, I'm going to stand on that dirt and worship Jehovah, the God of Israel. He wasn't just changed physically. Now when he put on that uniform, he had nothing to hide. That's God's dream for you. Are you having to cover the contradictions, smiling, but really hurting, confident, but really insecure, successful outside, but struggling inside? God's not condemning you, he's here to free you. You wouldn't be hearing this if change wasn't coming. Now do your part and be willing to do what you normally wouldn't do. Listen to voices that you could easily discount, the little name. Take steps of faith. Be obedient when it doesn't make sense. Wash in the Jordan. This is your time to be free. God is breathing on you right now. Change or being broken. Strong holes are coming down. What you couldn't do in the past, I believe and declare, God's about to help you do. Everything that's limited you,

changed you, discouraged you, addicted you, is being broken in Jesus' name. You will conquer every contradiction and step into the fullness of your destiny in Jesus' name. And if you receive it, can you say amen today? 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.