Joel Osteen | Lakewood Church | Sunday 11:00am Service Live

Joel Osteen will be delivering a LIVE inspirational message along with a brief conversation with Kanye West. Join us for powerful worship from the Lakewood Church Worship team.

Who Do You Believe You Are?

Post by Joel Osteen

It's easy to go through life letting people and circumstances put names on us, such as average, unqualified, addicted, or poor. Sometimes our own thoughts have named us as unattractive, not talented, not good enough, unworthy. As long as you're wearing these names, believing the lies that people and circumstances have told you, it's going to keep you from your potential. You have to change your name in your mind. Who do you believe you are? How do you see yourself? When God breathed life into you, He named you blessed, prosperous, talented, victorious, one of a kind, a masterpiece. People will call you ordinary, average, nothing special. If you accept that name, you'll become exactly that.
A man was walking past a tattoo shop in Thailand when he noticed that one of the tattoos they offered was "Born to Lose." He asked the owner if anyone ever got that tattoo. The owner nodded and said in broken English, "Before tattooed on body, tattooed on mind." If you accept in your mind the negative names people call you, if you let circumstances name you, you're giving it the right to come to pass. In your mind, is your name born to lose or born to win? Is your name poor, broke, in debt, or is your name prosperous, blessed, more than enough? Is your name sick, tired, can't get well. or is your name healthy, whole, energetic? Have you let life name you addicted, limited, always struggling, or do you go by what God named you—free, victorious, overcomer, well able?
You can't stop people from saying negative things about you. But I've learned you are not who people call you; you are what you answer to. They may call you slow, average, washed up, clumsy. That's okay. Just don't answer to it. Recognize what's happening. They're trying to rename you. When you hear them say you're forgiven, redeemed, and restored, that's when you need to listen. When they say you're unqualified, inexperienced, and less than, say, "Excuse me, did you mean anointed, highly favored, and well able? That's who I am." When thoughts tell you that you're unattractive, or you don't have a good personality, or that nobody wants to be around you, don't give that the time of day. When you hear that you're sharp, fun, well off, and a masterpiece, answer, "Yes, that's my name."
Are you answering to something that you're not? Quit letting those negative thoughts play in your mind. That's not who you are. Keep calling yourself what God calls you. If you do this, strongholds that have held you back will be broken. You're about to step into who you were created to be.