Featured Has Joel Osteen's preaching saved anyone?

When Satan is persecuting you in any aspect of your life, plead the blood of Jesus Christ for His spiritual protection.

This doesn’t mean that you’ll never suffer in life, but no harm will befall you that’s contrary to God's purpose in your life.

 

I am a convinced Calvinist but, unlike John MacArthur, I'm not a heresy hunter.

 

I have never heard Joel Osteen claim that if bad things happen to you in life, it’s a sign that your faith wasn’t genuine. Instead, he says keep on having faith and blessing other people until God uses your suffering to demonstrate His glory when your day of vindication comes. In preaching this message, he quotes from the Bible from beginning to end.

Pleading the blood of Jesus for spiritual protection didn't originate with the New Thought movement. In the words of Charles Spurgeon, “Christ’s intercessory power with God lies in His precious blood, and your power and mine with God in prayer must lie in that blood too… How can you ever prevail with God unless you plead the blood of Jesus?” Charles Spurgeon also said, “This precious blood is to be used for overcoming, and consequently for holy warfare. We dishonor it if we do not use it to that end.”

What is Joel Osteen preaching in this sermon that's contrary to the words of Charles Spurgeon?

 

Unlike his critics, Joel Osteen doesn't take a salary from his church, and neither does he ask for money during his broadcasts. This is not exactly the stereotype of a "health and wealth" preacher.

 

Exactly. There's enough Biblical teaching in Joel Osteen's message for God to use it to draw His elect unto Himself.

 

Those are semantical differences or differences in emphasis. The point I was making is that Joel Osteen didn't make up the idea that there's power in the blood of Jesus beyond just the forgiveness of sin, and this idea didn't originate in the New Thought movement, which denies the atonement.

In the words of Charles Spurgeon, “Christ’s intercessory power with God lies in His precious blood, and your power and mine with God in prayer must lie in that blood too... How can you ever prevail with God unless you plead the blood of Jesus?” Charles Spurgeon also said, “This precious blood is to be used for overcoming, and consequently for holy warfare. We dishonor it if we do not use it to that end.”

 

Would Osteen himself interpret it that way or would he say you must accept Jesus' forgiveness for it to apply to you? Did you watch until the end when he gives the invitation to repent?

When does Osteen ever make a sales pitch during his sermons or television broadcasts? Unlike his critics, Osteen doesn't draw a salary from his ministries, and he has no less right to his book sales as a Christian film maker would have from his movies.

It seems like people have taken the stereotype of a televangelist and projected that onto Osteen, who doesn't ask for money during his broadcasts, doesn't try to sell anything, and who doesn't blame your supposed lack of faith if bad things happen to you in life.

 

This video is of Joel Osteen telling the story of how Lakewood church acquired the Compaq Center:


How can one not see this as the work of divine providence? Similarly, I strongly disagree with his Arminianism, and yet I see the work of divine providence in John Wesley's life.

 

Are you basing that on what Osteen actually teaches from the pulpit or are you just parroting what John MacArthur and his ilk have told you?

Unlike John MacArthur, Joel Osteen doesn't take a salary from his ministries, and his family isn't under SEC investigation.

The Prosperous Lifestyle of America's Anti-Prosperity Gospel Preacher | The Roys Report

Pot, meet kettle. Unlike other televangelists, neither does Osteen ask for money on his broadcasts or attempt to sell anything.

If you don't see the above story as the work of God's providence, that might say more about you than it does about Joel Osteen. Unlike the scribes and Pharisees, however, I am not doubting your salvation. (Luke 18:9-14)

 

I have not said anything negative about John MacArthur other than his joylessness when preaching and his hypocrisy, two things that are not shared by Joel Osteen, no matter what you might have to say about him.

The Prosperous Lifestyle of America's Anti-Prosperity Gospel Preacher | The Roys Report