For the past few years I haven't had a church home but instead opted to watch Joel Osteen. Based out of Houston, Texas, his messages are full of positivity and uplift and I really enjoy watching his sermons and downloading the podcasts. I find him inspirational and think you should subscribe to his free podcasts. They really do help minister to your soul on a daily basis.Today I was listening to podcast #407 "Activating Faith instead of Fear". Here are a few of the notes I took while listening...
- Don't put your faith in your fears
- Don't let people talk you into settling for mediocrity
- Don't use your energy to worry, use your energy to believe. It takes the same amount of energy to believe and worry. Expect God's favor
- Don't use your faith in reverse (i.e. believing that bad things will happen, life will be hard, etc)
- Stay in faith that when one door closes, another will open
- What we meditate on is what will take root
- When you act on fear, you draw in the negative
- Fear will steal your joy, steal your enthusiasm and keep you awake at night
- Worry, fear, and wrong thinking is not just a bad habit, it's allowing the negative to come to pass
- If we're gonna stay in faith we have to be careful who our friends are. Be careful who you associate with. Fear is contagious. Worry is contagious. Negativity is contagious. If you're around people that are always complaining and discouraged, that spirit can get off on you. We can catch other people's emotions, just like a cold.
- Don't let your imagination run wild in the wrong direction
- God has brought you through the past and he'll bring you through the future
