Joel Osteen’s Inherited Kingdom!
JAN LILLEBY
The scenario displayed here is not that of a baseball match in Super Bowl, as the finale is about to start up.
It is just the assembly hall of Lakewood Church, Houston, Texas. Seating an audience of 16 800 people.
The association or the resemblance to a baseball arena is not just an imagination, for it once was the home of the team “Houston Rockets”. Lakewood Church bought the facility and had it expanded and refurbished into a huge mega-church meeting auditorium, like we see today in 2022.
Up front at the stage we see the back of Pastor Joel Osteen, the heir of John Osteen who passed away in January 23rd 1999.
The mega church experience about 45 000 audiences each week, and they are broadcasting their sermons in TV medias around the world, reaching around 10 mill viewers.
Lakewood Church is the largest mega-church in America. What their ranking may be in the whole world, I have no idea.
Enough of these background descriptions – but I would just make sure you would have some knowledge of this.
Since Pastor Osteen is shown already at the platform/stage here about to start a sermon – I would like to throw in a little greeting from Osteen which I just ‘zizzored’ off his website yesterday – and he calls this little article “Do You Love Yourself?” – dated Oct 07, 2022:
Do You Love Yourself?
By Joel Osteen - Oct 07, 2022
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When Jesus says to us, "Love your neighbor as you love yourself" (Mark 12:31), He's saying that you can't love others if you don't first love yourself. That tells us that the most important relationship you have is the relationship with yourself. Too many people don't like who they are. They focus on their faults and weaknesses. They relive their mistakes and failures. They wish they were taller, had a better personality, and looked like their cousin instead of accepting themselves as made in the image of God. Then they wonder why they're not happy and why they don't have good relationships. It's because they don't like themselves. If you don't get along with you, you're not going to get along with other people.
God has given us different personalities, different gifts, different temperaments. Sometimes we're fighting who we are, trying to be like someone else. You have to accept who God has made you to be. Sure, there are areas in which we can improve and grow, but there are certain things that are who we are. I am naturally quiet and reserved, laid back, easy-going. When my father went to be with the Lord, I knew I was supposed to step up and pastor the church. But I had never ministered, didn't have the training, and didn't feel qualified. However, I could deal with those things. What I struggled with was that my father was dynamic, forceful, and had such a strong personality. I thought, "I don't have my father's strengths. I can't minister like him." When we compare and think we have to be like someone else, we can feel shortchanged, as though we're at a disadvantage, not as talented as others.
When I was tempted to feel inferior, I had to do what I'm telling you to do. Tune all that out and use the gifts God has given you. I discovered that my personality, my talents, my strengths, and my temperament are right for my assignment, and you will as well. God has given you what you need to fulfill your destiny. If you needed a different personality, He would have given you one. If you needed different gifts, different strengths, different looks, different parents, it would have happened. Quit comparing and run your race.
You have to be comfortable in your own skin. You have been fearfully and wonderfully made. God calls you His masterpiece. Walk in your anointing, be confident with your gifts, let your personality shine. There's not another person in this world like you. The enemy would love for you to go through life trying to be an imitation, copying someone else that you think is more attractive, more gifted, more successful. No, be you. Nobody can do you like you can do you.
(End of Joel Osteen’s article)
‘OH – SO YOU ARE JUST ANOTHER ONE OF ALL THOSE CRITICS?’
This may be the very first thoughts that come to mind with Osteen’s followers/church members. I don’t say it is, I just make a fair guess.
My intentions with writing this article may not at all be because I love to ‘criticize’ other preachers. But if I am given an opportunity I shall gladly try to direct and point things out which may be of help to a fellow believer in Christ. That is what I hope for always. But we must keep the Bible as the authority here, none the less.
You have just read above, not my sayings, but Pastor Joel Osteen’s. I have not yet come up with anything at all.
Well, I admit to have put a title on the image of Osteen’s auditorium above, saying that he actually is an heir after his father, John Osteen who died way back in 1999. Thus he may have inherited not only his ministry, but also his father’s teachings/beliefs and religious standing, whether these were right or wrong if compared to the Bible.
It is well known among American Christianity that John Osteen was considered a pastor who taught questionable doctrines, often such ones that differed from normal Bible doctrine.
He embraced the ‘Word of Faith’ teachings from Rhema Bible Church, Tulsa. And he adopted most all of pastor Kenneth Hagin Sr.‘s heretical teachings. Joel Osteen also went to Rhema to study – and was ‘induced’ with the same kind of heretical and unbiblical teachings as his father.
It may even be true that John Osteen was an heretical teacher – but I believe that Joel Osteen then seem to be one also, only, he is like his father – added a Turbo charger!
John Osteen even as a heretic, he managed to put Jesus in there one way or another. You would hear Jesus’ name mentioned in his sermons, wouldn’t you?
But the more we check on Joel Osteen, it drips in…every now and then…a Jesus, just to be sure to sound ‘Biblical’.
It is enough just to notice what you just read in his article above. He twists and turns Jesus’ words into something it is not:
“When Jesus says to us, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself” (Mark 12:31), He’s saying that you can’t love others if you don’t first love yourself.”
This is obvious nonsense – and it goes two ways.
Osteen assumes in this quotation of Mark 12:31, that many a believer does not loving himself, so we have to get on with ‘loving ourselves’ so we can be fit to show other people love.
“That tells us that the most important relationship you have is the relationship with yourself”, says Joel Osteen.
This is totally out of it. He has no clue as to how we must read the Bible!
This is a form of ‘Slavery under the Law’ – you have to get into a better mindset so you can manage to show love to your neighbor. This is rubbish.
Jesu talked of showing your faith by acting in gentleness and love when you eventually had some unspoken with a neighbor. If a certain man, even in a state of mind of blaming himself over something he did wrong a few days ago, and he is angry with himself for that, - still, he would of course have no problem with meeting his neighbor – for instance, the neighbor comes home with a heavy load of lumber material to repair his garage walls – and go and help him unloading his Pick Up truck for the heavy materials. “Hey Buddy, need a hand here? Let me help you get this load off the truck. Oh thanks Joel, I am so happy you can lend me a hand. You saved my day, because both my sons are away, and my wife cannot handle heavy loads. - No problem Buddy, we neighbors are here for one another, aren’t we?”
The helpful, but self-blaming angry neighbor, just shook off his dark thoughts and went to show his neighbor some regular love in the form of a helping hand with a truck load of lumber! What is the big problem?
THE GREATEST PROBLEM FOR JOEL OSTEEN IS
NOT A HOST OF ANGRY CRITICS – BUT HIS OWN
LACK OF MAKING RIGHT DIVISION OF THE WORD OF GOD
By the way, did you know that in the Acts-period it was a demand of the Lord that the believing Messianic Jews had to show works to attest their faith before God and man? But no such thing when the dispensation (Greek: Oikonomia) of the Church came along in 62-63 AD as Paul established the free Grace Gospel with faith alone, no works, it is a Gift of God, lest any man should boast (Eph. 2:8, 9). Before Paul in Rome 62-63 AD, it was no Grace Gospel to all the world, but there was a Kingdom-Gospel preached to Israel only. That of the millennial rule of Jesus on David’s throne on Zion (Acts 3). The free Grace Gospel did not come before God revealed this to His only apostle to us Gentiles, as described and declared by Paul in Eph. 3:1-9. It was a hidden mystery in God not earlier revealed to humankind, until Paul got it!
When thus Joel Osteen sets forth his preaching/teaching from the mega-church at Lakewood – he comes into great error and misunderstanding of the Scriptures. His tortured mind will be messed up by heretical teachings he received as a young apprentice under his father, plus what he was filled with when studying at Rhema under the Hagin’s heretic teachings. I can only feel compassion with Joel Osteen, imagining the hardships of all that doctrinal misery he has been filled with – things totally out of line when compared to true Bible words. But still, he cannot blame all of it on his father, or the heretical teachings of Rhema Bible Church which is the originator of the Prosperity gospel/Word of Faith falsehood we have today. He should have gotten himself into the Bible so much as to make him able to separate the different dispensations of God.
It is unfortunate, but it is true. John Osteen, his father, as well as Joel Osteen, not to mention those reckless believers in ‘Word of Faith’ movement like Rhema Bible Church and the like, have been into total darkness in regard to making right division of the Bible - and not separated between the Kingdom-Ministry in Acts period, with the new and free Grace Gospel ministry Post-Acts.
The preaching of the prophesied Millennial Messianic kingdom in Israel was a total different ‘Gospel’ than that of Paul’s free Grace Gospel which was revealed to him right after the fall of Israel as seen in Acts 28:25-28. This was the point of no return for national Israel, and the decision came by the Sanhedrin of the eleven Synagogues at Rome, which Paul confronted – and they would not repent to Jesus so God could heal the land (see Acts 28:27 – Isa. 6 warning). The former Kingdom-Gospel of Acts-period was the one which had all these miracle-promises attached to it. Jesus sent them out to offer to Israel that Messianic kingdom, and had miracle signs following them (Mark 16:20). But these signs were NEVER EVER promised to the Church dispensation!
There isn’t one single trace of ‘Mark 16’ in Ephesians and Colossians, the only epistles ever given to the Church dispensation. In the two only valid Bible Scriptures for us, we find nothing of any water baptism, holy communion, confession of sins, laying on of hands for healing the sick, exorcism, prophecy, tongues, …the works.
No preaching of the Second Advent…and why? Because Jesus is NOT COMING for the Church, but He is coming down to Israel to establish the Millennial Kingdom. Us going up to heaven, is not something which can be combined with His coming down. We shall be “..appearing with Christ in glory in heaven..” Col. 3:1-4 - We are waiting for the “Day of redemption” – Eph. 4:30. Not the day of rapture. The latter was only for the Messianic saints in Acts period – but has now been cancelled due to the destruction of Israel.
From the moment of Israel’s fall and on, Paul’s prophecy was declared, and it has even now been fulfilled,
Acts 28:28: “So let it be understood by you then, that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen to it!” (Understood: They will accept it and believe it).
Jesus did not have a ministry to us Gentiles, it is one hundred percent certain, He said so Himself,
“I am only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” - Matt. 15:24.
Paul also taught the same: “Christ became a Minister to the circumcised in order to show God’s truthfulness and honesty by confirming the promises to our fathers.” Rom. 15:8.
Back to Osteen’s article for a few more concerned comments:
He is making a big issue of things regarding our lives on earth. Where is the teaching of Paul on us having our minds set for THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE IN HEAVEN…?
Osteen seem to be busy with only earthly matters, success in life, in marriage, in business, in studying, in all things earthly. That is not our Gospel no matter how we twist and turn it…
Let me zizzor in here from one of Joel Osteen’s books in that regard. Book is “Become a better you: 7 Keys to Improving Your Life Every Day” –
“One of the best ways that we can improve our self-image is with our words. Words are like seeds. They have creative power. It says in Isaiah that “We will eat the fruit of our words.” That’s amazing when you stop to consider that truth: Our words tend to produce what we’re saying…Every day we should make positive declarations over our lives. We should say things such as, “I am blessed. I am prosperous. I am healthy. I am talented. I am creative. I am wise.” When we do that, we are building up our self-image. As those words permeate your heart and mind, and especially your subconscious mind, eventually they will begin to change the way you see yourself. The Scripture says “With our tongue, we can either bless our life or we can curse our life.” Some individuals curse their own future by saying things such as “I don’t have what it takes. I’m so clumsy I can’t get anything right. I’m so undisciplined. I’ll probably never lose this weight.” We must be extremely careful what we allow out of our mouth. Our words set the direction for our lives. [1] “
OSTEEN IS ENCOURAGING CHISTIANS TO LIE ABOUT THEMSELVES
What Osteen is saying in his book, is..for instance if you are sick…you should go on saying: I am well! I am good to go! Thus he is making a host of Christian liars – they are told to say lies which do not line up with reality. He should rather be told to go see a doctor, than to go lying of his health, saying he is well when he is sick.
Or, if a person is – let’s say poor, he’s broke and out of funds – Osteen is telling him to go around saying I’m blessed! I’m prosperous! Osteen is constantly telling his readers/audiences to go around lying to others of their real situation. Osteen is actually telling non-talented people (such ones do actually exist!) to go saying I’m talented! Or non-creative people (they actually do exist!) to go around saying I’m creative! Or the real clowny thing which would be, telling a foolish, stupid person (such ones do exist whether you believe or not – Osteen is one of them!) to go around saying I’m wise! I’m smart! I’m successful! It is the lowest of all things low, to go on like Osteen is, actually encouraging people to lie of their real situation or mindset. He want you to think that if you come up with such confessional lying tricks like this, it will lead you to get what you are saying in those lies. Can you think of any more stupid and immoral influences like these? Just read Osteen’s own words one more time…it’s all there. He encourages people to go around lying about their lives. It is totally opposite of what a Christian should ever do.
All things earthly and thus in a sphere of carnal things, not of things which are in heaven.
Paul is contrasting this strongly,
“Col. 3:1-4, If then you have been raised with Christ (to a new life, thus sharing His resurrection from the dead), aim at and seek the (rich, eternal treasures) that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2- And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth. 3- For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4- When Christ, Who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” AMP. Bible.
Paul is here entirely heaven-bent. He never was like Osteen, who is earth-bent. Who teaches people to tell lies about themselves, like the excerpt quoted above from his book.
Paul was so heaven-bent that he says of us saints: FOR YOU HAVE DIED and your life are hidden with Christ in God!
What’s the use of that heretical mumbo-jumbo … ‘you must love yourself before you can love your neighbor?’ If we are believers, then we have cut off all earthly things and tangs and what not. We are the body of Christ – we are not patients with a Phycologist or other mind-benders so they could perhaps help us becoming “Better persons” – or to use Osteen’s terminology: Become a better you! Trying to become a better you, is hopelessly in vain. We have now by faith already been raised with Christ to a new life! Can’t you read the Bible? We don’t need that crap “Trying to become a better you” served by Osteen and his fellow falsehoods.
Joel Osteen – sprawling around in his 10 mill. Mansion of 17 000 Sq.ft, and him having a net worth of around 100 mill, he have never ever gone around saying: I am blessed. I am prosperous. I am healthy. I am talented. I am creative. I am wise to finally achieve all this. His nonsense of telling people to go and declare this to themselves so the words will create that which are spoken, is to have people trying to be as God. God is the only One Who can speak things into existence. But you see, folks, that hypocrite Joel Osteen like to have you believe that he came to his wealth and position because he fought his way from the bottom and up, by making “Positive Confessions”, saying positive words which would create that which can be seen with him today. That is why I put that title onto the photo of the auditorium – saying “Joel Osteen’s Inherited Kingdom”. He did not get where he is today without first having been son of John Osteen and his wife, and later on inherit the Gospel-Kingdom Lakewood enterprise and the money to go with it.
This enterprise is, like all other Gospel-Kingdoms in America, based mainly upon the money support coming from their gullible unsuspecting donors.
Joel Osteen could very well use a slogan, like, - “You poor working class people and retirees - give your money to me so that I can become a rich TV Evangelist – lying to you as a thanks for all the money – and make you falsely believe that you can just go on with “Positive Confession” and prosperity declarations, to make you as rich and successful as I!”
You read my quote from his book above. He is a superstitious pagan believer who goes outside of Bible Scripture – thus lying to his readers, saying lies like “Words are like seeds: They have creative power”. IMAGE: He smiles constantly, as he serves his cheap lies to his audiences.
Well, Paul cannot have taught this, and he never mentioned such nonsense. You find nothing of what we should or should not say – in the quote of Col. 3:1-4 – but he tells of our standing with Christ and to set our minds (not our words!) on the heavenly things above!
Joel Osteen should cast away that dirty and false “Word of Faith” prosperity gospel he learnt from his father and from other ancestors in the faith. And get hold of the pure un-adultered free Grace Gospel of God, given us through the apostle to the Gentiles, Paul.
Eph. 4:30,
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by Whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
www.gracepano.com
