Joel Osteen - The God Who Exceeds Expectations

Introduction

Joke

Declaration

The God Who Exceeds Expectations

We all have things we are believing for.

Dreams to Come to Pass or Problems to Turn Around

What if what we want is not what He intends.

What we have in mind may not be God’s best.

We think ordinary God thinks extra ordinary

We think just enough God thinks in abundance.

We think let me manage this problem God thinks freedom from this problem.

We think in limited terms but God thinks beyond our expectations.

We think if I can just get by but God wants you to prosper.

Bible - The God Who Exceed Expectations

Tell The Story: This is what happened in . This is where you tell the story. You story it for the people. Here is where you emphasize the contrast you just created in Introduction 3.b

Main Point: God exceeded this man’s expectation.

Intern Psychological State of Man. He never thought he would leave situation x but God exceeding His expectation. One moment changed his life.

Exhortation: God has some of these I never dreamed blessing or moments in store for you.

What is your limited environment that you think you will never get out of?

Our God exceeds our expectations.

Just like Peter said it, so God says it to you.

Prophetic Declaration: I believer God is about to exceed your expectations.

Main Point: God exceeds our expectation even when we don’t have faith for it, not expecting it.

Even though His expectation was low God did not count this against him.

God did not say “too bad you don’t have enough faith.”

Exhortation: God exceeds your expectation today if you just have small, mustard seed faith.

The fact that you are hear today tell me you have enough faith for God to catapult you to new level.

Like this man you man feel like you are like this man with a few disadvantages.

God showed up and exceeded. He is going to exceed your expectation.

Main Point: God exceeds our expectations so that God can get a testimony out of you.

Text: The people in the Temple were in awe.

Exhortation: People in your life are going to be in awe of what God is going to do for you. They will wonder...

They will wonder

How did you get well? when the report said otherwise.

How did you get that guy that gal to marry you.

How did you get that financial blessing?

How did you get that strong? that healthy?

Illustrate Personally: A time in my life when God exceeding my expectations. God exceeded my expectations when I met wife.

I did not always have the faith for the things in my life.

This was God’s vision for my life.

This Synagogue is an exceeded expectation.

Validate-Exhortation: Maybe today you are saying, “Everything is going wrong. Things have not changed for some time.” Don’t let go of the promise. He will exceed your expectation.

Illustrate: General Grant’s wife thought if he could only rise up to the level of Master Sergeant. She did not know that God would exceed both their expectations and raise him up to be a general of the Union forces.

Illustrate: personally.

Exhortation: Here is what I am trying to say, “ I believer sooner rather than later you are going to come into some of these exceeded expectations.”

You need to have some faith.

You are just trying to get my hopes up, yes I am, you need faith before you have faith.

Illustrate: Man who needed Kidney Transplant. Man’s wife had three kidneys. Very rare but it is true.

Main Point: God knows who you to put in your life to help you exceed your expectations.

In Rabbi Paul talks about God exceeding our expectations. It is a promise it will come to pass.

Illustrate: Woman who helps abused women met one of the wealthiest men in the world. He wanted to help. He gave the largest check ever. His friend came in and he said, “How much are you going to give?” He said, “how much did you just give.” That is God exceeding our expectations.

God knows how to line things up so as to exceed your expectations.

Illustrate: Personal story

God is saying to you today, “I am going to exceed your expectations.”

My challenge: let this truth take root in your spirit.

The Barren Women and Elijah. Her mind told her all the reasons not to believe. Even though she did not believe, God overrided her unbelief and exceeded her expectations even though she did not believe.

There are promises God has spoken over you that you have given up on but God has not given up.

Prophetically: I believe you are going to see some amazing things by this time next year. Put your faith.

Validate: I have been believing for some time and I still have not seen come to pass. You are like Hannah. She was distraught, upset, she knew God put the desire in her heart for a child. She went to the temple, she prayed and made a vow to the Lord. The Priest came over and promised her a son. Nine months later she conceived. This could be the end of the story but it says Hannah bore three more sons and two more daughters. The Lord exceeding her expectations. He was so good to Hannah because of the endurance of her faith. The suffering, the heartache, the tears. What you are believing for may not have happened yet but our God is a faithful God. God is not finished with you.

Our attitude should be “I know you are going to exceed my expectations.

Illustrate: Jehosaphat in . Not only did they not have to fight the enemies left their supplies. God exceeding Jehosaphat expectations. Not only did he not have to fight, he also exceeding his expectations and gave him a fully bounty, the spoils of war. He made the enemy pay. They marched out empty handed and out numbered but he exceeding their expectations.

Validate: He will exceed your expectations.

Main Point: Don’t talk yourself out of believing that God can exceed your expectations.

Application: Every morning, “Lord, You are going to exceed my expcetations.

I believe and declare over you.