Joel Osteen Devotional August 23 2021 – Doubters

John 7:5, NIV

For even [Jesus’] own brothers did not believe in him.

It’s interesting that Jesus’ own brothers did not believe in Him until after He rose from the dead. He was performing miracle after miracle, but they didn’t see Him as the Messiah. They only saw Him as their brother and thought, “Oh, it’s just Jesus. We grew up with Him.” Even when Jesus began to gain popularity, His brothers scoffed at Him and made fun of Him. They tried to discount Him and talk Him out of His destiny. Jesus let it go in one ear and out the other.

Sometimes the people who have known you the longest will try to keep you in the same box that you grew up in, but people don’t determine your destiny. What they say about you and how they try to make you feel cannot stop what God has ordained for your life. You need to distance yourself from people who are always trying to put limitations on you and talk you out of what God has put in your heart.

Father, thank You that You are taking me to the next level whether the people around me recognize it or not. Thank You that I am not limited by where I come from or by what others say or think about me. I will not allow others to put a limitation on what You have put in my heart. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.