Joel Osteen - Empty Out the Negative: Make Room for More Joy, Greater Confidence, and New Levels of Influence

I ts easy to go through life holding on to things that weigh us downguilt, resentment, doubt, worry. The problem is, when we allow these negative emotions in, they take up space we need for the good things that should be there. Imagine your life is like a container. You were created to be filled with joy, peace, confidence, and creativity. But if you allow worry in, it pushes out the peace. Theres not space for both. You cant go above 100-percent capacity; you have a limited amount of space. If you allow guilt to take up space, thats space you dont have for the confidence you need.

The reason some people dont enjoy their lives is because their container, or their heart, is contaminated with so many things. They have 10 percent filled with worry, being stressed out over their job; 12 percent bitterness, being mad at their neighbor; 20 percent guilt, beating themselves up for past mistakes; 9 percent jealousy, thinking their coworker is more beautiful. They dont realize 70 percent of their container is negative. Yet they wonder why they dont have joy, creativity, and passion. They only have room for 30 percent of the good things they should have.

The Scripture says, Give no place to the enemy. Thats not just talking about the forces of darkness. That means to give no place to guilt. Give no place to worry. Give no place to bitterness. Those contaminants cant come in and automatically take over. You control whats in your container. You control what you think about and what you choose to allow in. We all have negative emotions, negative feelings. But you have to make the choice that says, Im not going to give this jealousy, this bitterness, or this anger valuable space and let it poison my life. Im going to protect what I allow in my heart.

Every morning when we wake up, we need to empty out anything negative from the day before. If somebody offended you at work, and they didnt treat you right, its easy to let that offense stay with you. It can feel good to carry around a grudge. But you have to be disciplined and say, No, I am not giving this offense any room. I am not going to let it sour my day. That person hurt you once. Dont let that person continue to hurt you by holding on to the offense. Being offended is not harming the other person; its harming you. Its taking up space you need for the good things that will move you toward your destiny.

Lets say you wake up in the morning and thoughts of worry come. How are you going to pay your bills? What if the medical reports not good? Youll never get out of this problem. Dont allow these negative thoughts in. Dont make the mistake of dwelling on them. Just say, No, thanks. I know God is in control. He has me in the palms of His hands. Hell get me to where Im supposed to be. Take inventory of what youre giving space to. Life is too short for you to live with negative things holding you down.

David says in Psalm 103, God fills my life with good things so I stay young and strong. Ive learned that if you empty out the negative, if you make room, God will fill you with good things. If you empty out the worry, God will fill you with peace. If you empty out the insecurity and the negative things people have said about you, God will fill you with confidence. My question to you is: Is God trying to fill you with good things but theres no room? Is your container full of worry, regret, bitterness, and jealousy? Why dont you start emptying that out? If somebody did you wrong, you could hang on to that bitterness; instead you need to say, God, I forgive them. I let it go. You didnt just forgive. You made room for God to fill you with good things. Thats when Hell give you beauty for ashes and joy for mourning.

Perhaps youre in a tough season. The medical report wasnt good. You should be stressed and worried; instead you say, God, I trust You. You said You would restore health to me. You just made room for God to fill you with healing. You empty out the worry, and God will give you peace in the midst of the storm.

Perhaps a coworker got the promotion you worked so hard for. Envy and jealousy will come. I wish that were me. Im smarter than he is. I dont understand that. Instead of letting that jealousy stay, you need to say, God, I know Youre no respecter of persons. You got the promotion for him, and I know You can do it for me. The good news is, God doesnt run out of favor. He doesnt have a limited supply. If you empty out the jealousy, then when its your time to be promoted, God will open doors that no man can shut. If somebody got what you wanted, that simply means it wasnt supposed to be yours. If someone else got the promotion, be happy for that person. God has something better for you. If someone else got the person you wanted to date, dont be upset. God knows what Hes doing. If it worked out your way, that person would be second best. The bottom line is, what has your name on it is not going to go to anyone else. Dont go around bitter, with jealousy, in self-pitythat will poison your life. Empty it out. God is in control. Hes directing your steps, and at the right time, what has your name on it will show up.

God promises that if we make room, He will not only fill us with good things, but He will keep us young and strong. The reason some people are not young and strongI dont mean just young physically, but young in spirit, vibrant and passionate about lifeis because theyre filled with the negative. Worry will make you weak. Living stressed out will make you old, give you wrinkles, and take your passion. Being bitter, angry, and resentful will shorten your life. Proverbs says, A relaxed attitude lengthens life. You can be eighty years old and young at heart. Your spirit never ages.

I met a woman in the church lobby a while back. It was her hundredth birthday. She was standing there dressed impeccably, looking beautiful, with hardly any wrinkles, and full of joy. Her mind was as sharp as can be. I asked her what her secret was so I could tell Victoria. She said, I dont worry. I let things go, and I laugh a lot. Shes lived by this principle. But you know that in her hundred years, she had troubles, people hurt her, and she made mistakes. Life happened. Offenses came, but she didnt hold on to them. She kept emptying them out, and as God promised, He filled her life with good things and kept her young and strong.