The Secret To Solving Problems | Joel Osteen

- Hi, this is Joel in Victoria. Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. - If you enjoyed today's message, why don't you be a blessing and share it with a friend. - We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. - Well, God bless you. It's a joy to come into your homes. And if you're ever in our area, please stop by. Be a part of one of our services. I promise you, we will make you feel right at home. I like to start with something funny and I heard about this 92 year old man. He wasn't feeling up to par so he went to the doctor. A few days later, the doctor saw him out in the park with this beautiful young lady by his side. He seemed as happy as can be. The doctor said, wow, you sure are feeling a lot better, aren't you? He said, yes, doctor, I'm just following your orders. You said, get a hot mama and stay cheerful. The doctor said, I didn't say that. I said, you got a heart murmur, be careful. (congregation laughs) He heard what he wanted to hear, but here we go. 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'll 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 windows of grace. There are times we're going along and mind in our own business. And suddenly, we know something we're supposed to do. We feel it so strongly in our spirit. This urging telling us to forgive the person that hurt us. Or we've struggled with an addiction for years. But suddenly, we have a new desire to get free. We've been dreaming about starting our own business, writing that book. All of the sudden, we know it's our time. Those are not just nice thoughts. That's God speaking to us. He doesn't ask us to do something and then doesn't give us the ability to do it. With that urging, you'll feel faith rising up. You'll have the favor, the determination, the strength to do what you couldn't do before. But here's the key. It's a window of grace. It's not going to last forever. Too often, we hear the still small voice, but we put it off. I know I need to forgive, but I'll do it later. I know I need to get in shape, take care of my health. I'll do it soon. I feel this new passion, new confidence to step up and lead my department. One day, I'm going to do it. The problem is that window is going to close. Don't take the grace for granted. That is a destiny moment where God is making a way where you can come up higher. When you feel that faith, you have to step into it. That's God saying, this is your time. This is your moment. The scripture says, today, if you hear his voice, harden not your heart. That's not just talking about salvation. When you hear his voice telling you to have a better attitude, to treat your spouse more respectfully, to tie your income, the reason it's so strong is God is opening a window of grace. That's the time to obey, not tomorrow, not next week, but right then. When that window opens, you'll feel a divine empowerment. God breathing on you in a new way. You'll have the grace to forgive, the confidence to step up, the favor to succeed. A friend of mine struggled with smoking since high school. He was in his 40s and he didn't like to smoke. He had tried to stop many times, but wasn't able to. He finally had accepted it. That was his lot in life. But one morning, he woke up and felt so strongly that this was his time to stop smoking. He had a new determination, a new passion. He said, I've never felt faith like this. He knew he was going to break it. The problem is, he kept putting it off. Say, and tomorrow, I'm going to get started. Tomorrow would come. He felt it just as strongly. Later, I'm going to get serious. First week went by, he didn't feel it quite as much. Then a month went by, still hadn't done anything. Now, he barely had the desire to stop. Couple of months later, he was back to thinking that he could never break it. He said, I know I could have stopped. I know God was talking to me, but I missed my season. That window doesn't last forever. There is a limited time. God gives you an opportunity to come up higher. When you have the faith for it, that's the time to act. Don't make excuses. Don't put it off. Later, I'll get serious. You're not always going to feel what you're feeling. That grace is on you for a season to help you accomplish what God is asking you to do. Today, when you hear his voice, obey. Step into that grace. Take advantage of what God is offering you. And if the window closes, yes, God will open another window. He's merciful, but you don't know how long it's going to be. You don't have time to waste going around the mountain again and again like the Israelites. They turned an 11-day journey to the promised land into 40 years because they kept complaining, talking about how big the obstacles were. When God brings something to life that you need to deal with, a bad attitude, jealousy, say in hurtful things, you wouldn't feel that conviction unless the window was opening to change. God doesn't ask you to do better and did not give you the ability to do it, but you have to step into it. Dig down deep and be more disciplined. Bite your tongue when you feel like being disrespectful. Keep a smile when you could be sour. The grace is there. Now as you tap into it, you will feel a force enabling you, empowering you. What is that? You're in a window of grace. In the scripture, there's two Greek words used for time. One is chronos. It's where we get our word chronological. It deals with ordinary time, minutes, hours and days. The second Greek word is kauros. It's defined as an opportune moment. A passing instant where an opening appears. It has to do with an appointed time, with a season of favor. Now God has already ordained these kauros moments for you. You're going to come into opportunity that seems over your head. You'll be tempted to shrink back, but God wouldn't have put you there if you couldn't do it. It's a kauros moment. It's a season of favor. All of the sudden, you know you can beat the depression. You know lack and struggle is not your destiny. You feel faith rising up. Those are not just encouraging feelings. That is a kauros moment. A season of favor that God has specifically designed for you. If you will step into it, doors will open that you couldn't open. Bad habits, addictions that have held you back will be broken. Now get ready for some kauros moments. Moments that are going to thrust you ahead. And when they come, don't be intimidated. That obstacle may be big, but our God is much bigger. He would not have opened that door if you didn't have the favor to walk through it. But it is a window of grace. It is not going to last forever. You can't keep putting it off and expect it to be there in a year. When you feel it, you have to stir your faith up. Father, thank you that this is a new day that I am stepping into new levels of favor, discipline, anointing, creativity, strength, energy, and that every force is trying to stop me is being broken. Get in agreement with God. He will open the window, but you have to take advantage of it. This is where the Israelites missed it. They had been in slavery for many years. God brought them out. They were headed toward the promised land. They made it through the desert, fought off enemies along the way. They finally came to the land flowing with milk and honey. They were camped next door to the promised land. This is what they had been dreaming about. All they had to do was go in and take the land. God had already promised them the victory. This was one of their Cairo's moments. An incredible door was about to open. An opportunity of a lifetime. And with those Cairo's moments comes the favor to accomplish, the power to overcome, the strength to defeat the opposition. The problem is the Israelites didn't recognize that they were in a window of grace. They said Moses, these people are too big. We'll never defeat them. We feel like grasshoppers compared to them. Let's go back to Egypt. Even though God promised to take them into the land, even though they were in this Cairo's moment, where they had to favor the power, the strength, they turned around and headed back into the desert. They didn't understand that God doesn't give you the opportunity and then not give you the grace to do it. You may be facing big giants, but the favor on your life is bigger than whatever's trying to stop you. God was so put out with the Israelites, He told Moses that they were never going to enter into the promised land. Moses told the people what God said, how they were limiting their destiny, being weak and intimidated. The scripture says they turned around and headed back toward the promised land. They said Moses, we realize we've made a mistake. Now we are ready to go into the land, God promised. You would think Moses would say good. You finally changed your mind. Let's go in. Moses said to them, do not enter the land now or you will be crushed by your enemies. What happened that window of grace closed? That Cairo's moment passed. Moses knew if they tried to go in outside of God's timing when that window of favor wasn't open, they would be defeated. That's why it's so important to not put off what you know God is telling you to do. When you feel the urging, the knowing, whether it's to break a bad habit or to step into something that feels over your head, if you keep delaying the window is going to close. You may feel afraid. Your thoughts will tell you all the reasons it's not gonna work out. You can't accomplish that dream. It's too big. You can't forgive that person. They hurt you too badly. You've always been negative, critical, bitter. That's just who you are. That is not who you are. That's why you're hearing this. There is a Cairo's moment coming. There is a window of grace about to open. Now don't do like them. Put your shoulders back. Hold your head up high and step into it. God is about to take you to a new level. Things that have held you back are being defeated. New doors are about to open. Giants are about to be defeated. Talent is about to come out of you that you didn't know you had. You are coming into a season of special favor. Yes, you always have favor, but there are moments when that favor stands out. You're going to see an opportune moment where God thrust you ahead. Now do your part. Start believing that you're favored. Start praying bold prayers. Start speaking victory over your life. Don't go around talking about how big the giants are and how you'll never get well. Never meet the right person. Never start your own business. Zip that up. Start declaring this is my time. The favor of God is on my life in a new way. I have the grace to rise higher. The grace to forgive this person. The grace to accomplish my dream. The grace to break this addiction. Be bold, be strong. The Lord your God is with you. This is what I had to do. When my father was 77 years old, he was at my sister Lisa's house one Monday evening to have dinner with Lisa and my mother. Lisa had just finished cooking her favorite dish. Right before she put those TV dinners on the table, (congregation laughs) my father said to them, I'm going to call Joel and see if he'll speak for me this Sunday. My mother laughed and said, John, you are wasting your time. Joel is not a minister. I had worked 17 years behind the scenes here at Lakewood doing the television production. My father tried to get me up to speak many times, but always told him no. I didn't have any desire to be in front of people. Plus my father was a great minister. Thought who'd want to listen to me? I don't know what to say. I've not been trained in this. I was eating dinner that Monday night when my father called. He said, Joel, I just wanted to see if you would speak for me this Sunday. I had told him no dozens of times. I said, daddy, I'm always honored that you ask, that you have that much confidence in me, but I'm just not a minister. He never pressured me. He encouraged us kids to follow our own dreams. We hung up the phone and I sat down to finish eating dinner. A couple of minutes later, I felt something so strongly on the inside telling me that I needed to do it. I don't know how to explain it. I just knew that I knew that I knew I was supposed to do it. It didn't make sense to my mind, but God doesn't speak to our mind. He speaks to our spirit. Not out loud, but down in here, it's annoying. It's an urging. You don't have to hear words. You just know what to do. Many times we don't recognize that's God talking to us. You know you're supposed to break away from a friend that's holding you back. You know to go back to school and improve your skill. Well, we think, oh, that's just me. Maybe I will. Maybe I won't. No big deal. That's not just you. That's God talking to you. That's God opening a window of grace. You're coming into a carous moment, a special season of favor to do what you couldn't do, to go where you couldn't go. The question is, will you step into it or will you put it off and let the window close? Time is of the essence. The longer you wait, the less passionate you'll feel and the less likely you'll be to do it. Don't put it off. It's an opportune moment. It's not months. It's not years. It's a passing opportunity. Unless you grab hold of it, stretch your faith, make the changes, you'll miss your moment. Five minutes later, I called my father back and told him that I'd changed my mind and I would speak for him that Sunday. Lisa and my mother nearly passed out. I was going to speak my first sermon in 36 years. I didn't want to do it, but I knew I was supposed to do it. The truth is, that was the most miserable week of my life. I so dreaded having to get up in front of people. No offense, but y'all were very scary. I told Victoria, please, don't talk to me until Sunday afternoon at 1 o'clock. I'm going to do this one time, make my father proud, and then I'm done. You've heard that saying. If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans. I spoke that Sunday, never dreaming, it would be the last Sunday of my father's life. Now often wonder where I would be if I would have said no, if I would have ignored that feeling. That was a carous moment, something God ordained to thrust me into my destiny. It's not like I could have done it a month later. My father would have been gone. He wouldn't have had the same impact. One reason I was able to step up and pastor the church is I thought, what are the chances of me speaking on the last Sunday of his life? I had told him no for 36 years, but it just so happened that last time I said yes. That's why I felt it so strongly. I knew I was supposed to do it. But here's my point. I could have said no. I could have ignored it. I could have said I'll do it later. I don't feel qualified. Ask me again at the same time next year, but by the grace of God, I stepped into it. Don't miss your carous moments. You don't know where they're taking you. You don't know what doors are going to open. You don't know what one good decision, one step of faith, one getting out of your comfort zone and obeying that still small voice, how that's going to cause a domino effect of awesome things in your life. If I had not said yes to that one speaking invitation, I don't believe that I would be a pastor. We probably wouldn't have the compact center, the books, Knights of Hope, Sirius XM. Those things all followed one act of obedience. Well, Joel, that's exciting for you, but it's kind of depressing for me because I think I've already missed my window. You wouldn't be hearing this if God wasn't about to open another window. (audience applauding) There is a carous moment coming for you. Something that's going to thrust you ahead, a power that's going to free you from every addiction, a force that's gonna break every chain that's held you back and release you into a future greater than you've ever imagined. When it comes, step into it, stretch your faith, pursue that dream, make the necessary changes. Don't let it pass you by. Acts chapter 24, "The Apostle Paul was brought to Caesarea to go on trial for sharing his faith." He was standing before the governor, a man named Felix, presenting his case. And Felix was very intrigued with Paul. The main trial was going to take place later so he had Paul taken into custody. In a few days, Felix and his wife sit for Paul to come visit with them. Paul discussed his faith and the importance of living a godly life and having self-control. Felix began to feel convicted. He had lived compromising, giving in to his carnal desires. He knew he needed to change. This was one of his carous moments, a window of grace. But he said to Paul in verse 25, "Go away for now. When a more convenient time comes, I'll call for you." He put it off. He didn't want to deal with the conviction. Two years later, he was out of office. We never read any more about Felix. I don't know if the more convenient time ever came. That's why the scripture says, "Today, when you hear his voice, obey, are you waiting for a more convenient time? Are you ignoring the still small voice, talking yourself out and taking that step of faith?" You don't know how long that window is going to be open. Don't do like Felix, keep making excuses. This is an opportunity to come up higher, to see God's favor in a great way. My friend, Devon Franklin, is a movie producer in Hollywood. As a young man, he had a dream to own his own company, Making Films. He went to Los Angeles and became an intern at a big movie studio. But instead of producing films, he was running errands, getting the executives coffee, and bringing them their lunches. He stayed faithful and one door after another open. He got a position helping produce Will Smith's movies. He ended up as the vice president at Sony Pictures, a great position, but he always dreamed of his own company. He produced the movie, "Heaven is for Real." It made $30 million the first weekend, a huge success. Nobody predicted those kinds of numbers. His boss called and congratulated him, and said she was going to give him a promotion and increase his salary. As he was going to meet with her, he felt God's saying to him, "This is the time to leave Sony and start your own company." He said, "God, that doesn't make sense. I'm about to get this big promotion. These people love me. Deep down, he couldn't get away from it. He knew he was supposed to make a change. He told his boss that he was leaving and that he wanted Sony to fund his new company." She looked at him and said, "Yes, we will do that." He nearly passed out. This was more than he could imagine. He'd not only have his own company, but his old company would fund it. They signed all the paperwork. In a few weeks, this boss that liked him so much was involved in an email controversy, and suddenly she lost her job. If he would have waited a couple of months to start the company, he wouldn't have had the funding. That was a carous moment, a window of grace. You can do the right thing at the wrong time and miss your destiny. Timing is critical. When God says, "Do something, just do it." It may not make sense now, but God knows things that we don't know. When He says, "Forgive," you may come up with a thousand reasons not to just do it. God knows what's best for you. When He says, "Take that step of faith," your mind may tell you what if it doesn't work? What if you don't get the contract? What if the economy goes down? If there's no risk, it doesn't take anything. If there's no chance you can fail, you don't need God's help. But where God is taking you, you can't get there on your own. You may be talented, but your talent alone is not enough. You may be connected, but you don't have enough connections. The future God has for you is much bigger than you've ever imagined. You're going to need these windows of grace, these carous moments. When we acquired this place, the former compact center, I was told it was going to cost $100 million to renovate. Three years earlier, I was running camera, editing my father's sermons, doing the production. Do you know how much fundraising experience I had at that time? Zero. I thought, "God, I am so far over my head, but Lord, thank You that this is not over Your head. I had the faith, the courage, the confidence, to do something that didn't make sense." That was one of my carous moments. What am I saying? When God asked you to do something, He will give you the faith and the favor to do it. The scripture talks about having the faith of God. Sometimes it's not even our faith, it's God putting His faith in us. But you have to stay in the window. You can't think about it for six years and get 47 different opinions. First off, you're going to be confused because people can't hear what God's telling you. They can't feel what you feel on the inside. And secondly, that window is not going to last forever. If you keep putting it all at some point, it's going to close. In the scripture, God told Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh and tell the people they had 40 days to repent or God was going to destroy the city. It's interesting that God put a time period on it. He didn't just say, "Repent sometime." Whenever you feel like it as long as you do it, no big deal. He said, "You have 40 days to make things right." When Jonah told the people, the first thing they did was follow on their knees. The king took off his royal robe, put ashes on his head and declared a city-wide fast. They didn't wait a week. They didn't wait 20 days. Immediately, they said, "God, we're sorry for the way we've been living." And God spared the city. I wonder if there's something you could change in the next 40 days and you would see God's favor in a new way. Maybe God is saying to you, you have 40 days to get your priority disin order. You have 40 days to forgive that person. You have 40 days to pursue that dream. You have 40 days to get serious in your relationship with God. There is a window of grace. It was 40 days for the people of Nineveh. I don't know what it is for you, but I do know when these kairos moments come, they have a time limitation. They are not going to last forever. Don't miss your moment. Listen to that still small voice, that knowing on the inside, that's when you're going to feel a divine empowerment, the favor to do what God's asking you to do. If you'll do this, I believe and declare you're about to see some of these kairos moments. Freedom from addictions, restoration in relationships, promotion, healing, breakthroughs, 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'll make you my Lord and save you. If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in a good Bible-based church and keep God in first place. It's a new year. Time to see the impossible become possible. It's a new year. Life-setbacks are about to become God's setups for new opportunity. It's a new year. Cherished dreams will become unexpected reality. The start of the new year is the perfect time to reset your focus, release disappointments of the past, and get ready for the new things God has in store. Every January we create a new 365-day devotional calendar. I'd love to send it to you. Each day is filled with inspiration, scripture, and uplifting declarations to fuel your faith. When you begin the day thanking God for what he's done, speaking victory over your future, you're positioning yourself for a blast, favor-filled year. Amazing things happen when you keep God first place. As our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount this first month of the year, we would like to send you a copy of our brand new 365-day 2026 devotional calendar. Do you want to overcome your most pressing challenges in 2026? Do you want to see your life take off in new directions of influence, favor, and provision in the year ahead? With this daily encouragement, you'll not only smile at your day, you'll be reminded that God is smiling on your entire life. Each day will be a fresh new day. Turn discouragement to encouragement, frustration, to fulfillment, anxiety, to overcoming. Start each morning knowing that it's God's desire to turn what seems like an ordinary life into extraordinary favor, strength, and opportunities. Using this devotional calendar is as easy as one, two, three, one, wake up with an expectancy in your heart. Two, reflect on the daily scripture verse and devotional from Joel. Three, capture the Lord's promises to you on journaling lines for writing and reflection. 2026 is going to be one of your best years ever. We're gonna help you stay in faith so you can see the goodness of God in new ways. Victor, we're not pray for you and your family every day. We wanna thank you for your prayer and support. Your generosity is impacting lives around the world. A special thank you to our champion of hope partners for your monthly gifts. You're not a partner. I hope you'll consider becoming one. Remember, you can watch the services online, live every Sunday morning, download our daily podcast, watch on YouTube, or the new Joel Osteen Network 24 hours a day. Of course, listen live on Series X in as well. But until we meet again, may the Lord bless you and keep you. - Be sure to request your copy of the 2026 devotional calendar available this month by simply visiting us at joelosteen.com or calling 888-567-Joel. Also, no matter what season you're in, joy, sorrow, waiting, growth, God wants to speak into each and every moment. God's Word for every season is a guided journal series designed to help you slow down, write out scripture, and reflect on its truth one verse at a time. As you engage with His Word, you'll discover fresh strength, deeper peace, and timely encouragement for every step of your journey. You can request these inspiring resources by calling 888-567-Joel or logging on to joelosteen.com today. Call or click anytime 24 hours a day. Request these resources today.