Joel Osteen - You Are Stronger than You Think: Unleash the Power to Go Bigger, Go Bold, and Go Beyond What Limits You

W e all face pressure in life and times when we could feel overwhelmed. The obstacle looks too big, we never dreamed wed be dealing with a sickness, or we thought the trouble at work would be over by now. Its easy to feel as though its too much, and we cant take it anymore. But the Scripture says, God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can endure, but He will make a way of escape so that you will be able to bear it. When God designed you, He took into account everything you would faceevery struggle, every unfair situation, every setbackand He put in you the strength, the courage, and the determination to withstand it. When you feel overwhelmed, as though the pressure is too much, its because youre stronger than you think. You havent discovered all thats in you. Youll never know how strong you really are until you face pressure that youve never faced. It may seem unbearable, but the fact that God allowed it means you can handle it.

God didnt say He would make a way of escape so you can run from it, or so you can avoid it. He said it was so you can bear it. You can look back at times when you didnt think you could go on, the pressure seemed unbearable, but somehow it didnt defeat you. You had the strength to get up another day, and you kept going when you didnt feel you had anything left. Why didnt it break you? Because you were stronger than you thought. God designed you to handle that pressure. He wouldnt have allowed you to get in that pressure if He hadnt already put in you what you needed to handle it. You will always be able to bear whatever comes your way.

I read about a little fish called the Mariana snailfish. It lives at the very bottom of the ocean, almost five miles underwater. No other fish can survive at that depth. The pressure at that depth is more than a thousand times the pressure at the surface. It would crush any other fish. But when God designed this snailfish, He made its bones flexible so they could withstand the pressure. These fish have special cells and a unique digestive system. Most fish have one gene to stabilize proteins, but this fish has five. Because theyre designed to handle the pressure, they dont live burdened, struggling, or overwhelmed; they thrive there. In the same way, when God designed you, He knew what pressures you would facefinancial pressure, relationship pressure, raising children pressure, dealing with an illness pressure. If that pressure was going to crush you, if it was going to be unbearable, God wouldnt have put you there. He doesnt make mistakes. Whatever you face, remind yourself that you can handle it. Youve been designed for it. You wouldnt be at that depth if the pressure was going to defeat you.

Now you have to get in agreement with God. If you go around thinking, This is too much. I cant raise these kids. This pressure at work is overwhelming, thats going to defeat you. The Scripture says you are full of can-do power. You are well able to overcome opposition, to outlast adversity. But Ive learned that can-do power doesnt do you any good if you have a cant-do mentality. Quit looking at all the things you cant do. Have a new perspective: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. This obstacle may be big, but I can overcome it. This trouble is taking longer than I thought, but I can outlast it. This situation feels overwhelming, but I can handle it. Ive been designed for it. Im strong, Im anointed, and Im equipped. Dont have a weak mentality. You werent created to fall apart when pressure comes. You are stronger than you think. You are more favored than you think. You are more anointed than you think. Like God designed that small fish with special cells and special bones to withstand the pressure, how much more has God designed you with special strength, with courage, with fortitude, with stamina. When you start seeing yourself as strong, empowered, and well able, you wont live overwhelmed. Youll discover strength that you didnt know you had.

This is what happened to Gideon in Judges 6. He was hiding in the winepress as he threshed wheat, afraid of the Midianites who had surrounded his city. You can imagine the pressure he was under, how he felt overwhelmed, worried, wondering what was going to happen. Just when it seemed like he couldnt bear it anymore, an angel showed up and said, Mighty hero, the Lord is with you. Other translations say, Valiant man of fearless courage. Gideon didnt feel like a mighty hero. He was hiding. He didnt feel courageous. He felt weak and intimidated. This angel was saying in effect, Gideon, you are stronger than you think. Youre letting this situation overwhelm you. You think its unbearable, too much to handle, but Im here to tell you that you have what it takes. Youre courageous, youre talented, youre favored, and youre well able. Gideon didnt know what was in him. He saw what was around himenemies that looked too big, opposition that seemed insurmountable. The angel showed up to remind him of what was in him.