WHAT TO DO WHEN NOTHING seems to work

John Osteen Version castellana: Connie Nodarse © 1985 John Osteen All rights re
served Lakewood Church PO ISBN 0-912631-60-0 Box 23 297 Houston, TX 77228
How many of you have been in a state that have felt the urge to say "it seems th
at nothing is"? If there is any occasion when the disciples as well as any other
person in need, you might say "nothing seems to work" is found in Scripture: "W
hen they came to where the people were, he approached a man who told him knees,
Lord, have mercy on my son has epilepsy and suffers terribly, he often falls int
o the fire, and many others in the water. I was brought to your disciples, and h
ave not been able to cure him. "Jesus said: People without faith and perverted!
How long shall I stay with you? How long will I have to endure? Bring him here.
"Jesus rebuked the demon, and she went, at that time, the child was cured." The
disciples came to Jesus and asked him privately, Why could not throw us? "He rep
lied: Because they have little faith, I assure you that if you have faith as a m
ustard seed, you can say to this mountain: BEYOND Cum and do it. Nothing will be
impossible" (Matthew 17.14-20). Here is the case of a man who has a great need,
your son is epileptic, is possessed by the devil, ill, and suffers all kinds of
seizures. This man takes his son to the best liberating gospel of the time to r
elease him: For the followers of Jesus who received his training directly under
the ministry of Jesus. If you're going to take someone to be healed, your desire
would take maybe someone like the disciples who were close to Jesus. The man to
ok his son to nine of the disciples (three of the twelve were on a mission of pr
ayer with Jesus on the Mount of
Transfiguration). Those disciples rebuked the devil and cast out demons. Perhaps
the young man shook until he was about to suffer another seizure. They did ever
ything they could, and all failed. Each one probably took their turn with the yo
ung, and deployed all the knowledge he possessed. Have you had the experience of
finding some time in a valley where everyone else seems to be on top of the mou
ntain? What your disease is delayed, that nothing seemed to work? Pénateme tell
you there is always hope when you're distressed. David, the psalmist said, "I w
ill lift my eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help My help comes from th
e Lord who made heaven and earth" (Psalm 121.1). If you raise the light and look
, there's someone coming down from the mountain His name is Jesus! His face stil
l shines as down from the mountain. When it comes to the scene, every failure, e
very disease and every evil disappear. All we have to do is bring Jesus to the s
cene! Jesus is the living Word. We have the written Word, and He is the Word per
sonified, who tells us through John, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among
us (and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only son of the Father,) full of l
ove and loyalty "(John 1:14). If we can activate the Word of God with our failur
es, then we can find God's help. Jesus came to this valley and asked the man wha
t he wanted from his disciples. The man told about his son. He told Jesus that t
he disciples had not been able to help your child. Jesus told him to bring the c
hild. "And Jesus rebuked the demon, and she went, at the time the child was cure
d" (Matthew 17:18). This man found his answer in the Lord Jesus. He brought the
living word to your specific situation. Jesus is wonderful! We need to preach ab
out Jesus. This generation needs to see Jesus. If only we could allow the suffer
ing humanity, crying, dying, she saw Jesus, who is always the same, and has the
power to give us what we need, people would run after him. Would run to Him beca
use He is still the great Son of God as we read in the Bible. "Jesus the Messiah
is the same today as yesterday and will be the same forever" (Hebrews 13:8). We
need to know what to do when we meet in the valley.
WHAT TO DO WHEN NOTHING seems to work?
Have you ever encountered in a specific situation where you think anything that
helps you learn that nothing is in your favor, it is not materialized what to ma
terialize? People pray and seek God to prosper, to heal and to get rid of the de
vil. Also seek the gifts of the Holy Spirit is manifest in them and that they op
en the doors of the ministry. They want so much. They pray and pray and pray,€p
rove all the formulas they know, but nothing seems to work. They know who is in
the Bible, but, but, but, but ... (Remember this: the sheep follow the goat, "bu
t"!) Are you in the valley? You need Jesus in your valley, bring His word to the
valley. He will reveal the way because He is the Way! He said, "I am the way, t
he truth and the life" (John 14:6). Once I had a new car. I was so proud of him,
was so luxurious and one of the best. I drove everywhere. One day, while drivin
g down the street and I approached the road, stopped suddenly. Did not move, the
engine is not lit, not moving, and was a new car! I was so disappointed. I coul
d have lowered the car and say, "this car is just like those that run across the
road. All of these work, but not mine." I decide to leave, leave the car there
and say, "well, work for others but not for me!" Some people are like, but I did
not act that way. I said, "I know who made this car for work, has four wheels a
nd is supposed to work. I see other cars and mine are also going to run. I calle
d a mechanic who came, inspected it and finally found something was disconnected
. It was a small wire. I thought I was perhaps a little more, but it was not muc
h. I might have to return the car to the factory, but he hit the wire again, I t
urned the key, and it worked! I went way forward in my new car! can receive less
ons and a wonderful truths of God's anointed. You can skip to a chance and try i
t. You say, "is so wonderful," if "driving" in a spirit a mile down the road, yo
u may find a problem. When you try to apply what you've learned, the whole opera
tion fails! say, "he told me it would work, but I turned the starter key and not
hing happened. "You say," I know he's in the Bible, but no, I do not give a resu
lt. "
Sometimes these principles do not act as easily as described by some preachers.
You must learn to cooperate with God's principles. Will work for you! When nothi
ng seems to work, you need Jesus to show you loose your connection. It is not th
at the Bible gives no result. THE WORD OF GOD IT WORKS! You have to realize that
if something goes wrong, not about God or His Word, but you. You have a misalig
ned cable somewhere. If you're determined to get something from God, you need to
investigate and discover your loose ends. "... Because I am alert to keep my wo
rd" (Jeremiah 1:12). Some people want to do things wrong and were never correcte
d. They wonder why God will not act for them. When you seek God, believe faithfu
lly and try to apply the Word of God to a specific situation, and nothing seems
to work, then read some suggestions to follow, to help you find your loose conne
ctions.
# 1. "ABOVE ALL, EXAMINE YOUR OWN LIFE
Long ago a group of doctors who examined me, I was diagnosed that he needed open
heart surgery. They told me if I wanted to enjoy a long life and health, which
had to undergo this surgery. That is not the best news you can get! It was somet
hing very serious, was a blow to me and my family. What did I do? The first thin
g I did was turn on the large projector of God on my heart to be examined, and e
xamine my own life. He wanted to know if he had overlooked anything that needed
amendment. Jesus said, "... and when they stand praying, forgive what they have
against others, so that your Father in heaven may forgive your sins" (Mark 11:25
). If you feel envy, jealousy, discord, anger or anything against anyone, wanted
to know. I said, "My God, my heart sondéame to know, see if my path is diverte
d, and I will feel happy to bring it to light" (Psalm 139.23). I knew that if di
d not close any opening, Satan would find the opportunity to enter. He does not
have any power unless it demos. We read in the Word "... no chance to stop the d
evil" (Ephesians 4.27). Job had a fence around it. He had to admit the truth bef
ore God when he said "You yourself have surrounded and protected him, his home a
nd all his" (Job 1:10). A fence is a wall that the devil can not cross. We read
in the book of Job that God allowed Satan to go inside the fence because even th
ough God put a fence around him and was perfectly
protected let fear invade your life. There was an opening. He said "I feared wha
t happens, what happens to me more terrified me" (Job 3.23). No doubt, Job, in t
he midst of all this protection, allowed the fear invaded his life.€The fear sh
e opened the door for Satan to come in and try to destroy the way written in the
book of Job. Examine your life. You have a fence around you. The blood of Jesus
is upon you and your angels camped around the Lord. The Lord goes before you, a
nd His goodness and loyalty will follow you all the days of your life (see Psalm
23). Below you are the everlasting arms. That fence you have around you, the ab
sence can break the spirit of forgiveness, jealousy, envy, strife, pettiness, gr
eed, lust, impure desires, or any sin forgiven. Unresolved anger often breaks th
e close. "If you are angry, do not come to sin, that the sun not surprised at hi
s anger" (Ephesians 4:26). If the Word of God is not working for you, examine yo
ur life first. Examine yourself so that God will not judge (cf. 1 Cor 11,31). "I
f possible, as it depends on you, be at peace with all men" (Romans 12:18). Forg
ive your wife. Forgive your husband. We read in Scripture, "with each other are
nice, and good-hearted, forgiving each other, as God has forgiven by Christ" (Ep
hesians 4:32). Keep the strife out of your life. God will not act for you while
living in open rebellion against the Word of God. Test yourself!
# 2. "Second, we examine your promises.
If God has whispered to your heart no promise given through His Word, and that y
ou have received if you do not have any definite promise, real and He has done l
ive on your specific situation, then you have a loose connection. Immerse yourse
lf in the Word of God, meditate on the Scriptures until God speaks to your heart
. "Be strong because God approves as blameless a worker who preaches the truth w
ithout deviation" (2 Timothy 2:15). You can not have faith in something unless y
ou have a promise from the Word of God. Examine your book promises! I remember t
he story of a grandmother and her granddaughter who lived together. Were saved o
ne night while attending a church service, while a preacher talking about the bi
blical quotation in John 5.24: "Verily, verily, I say: He who hears my message a
nd testifies that he sent me, has eternal life is not called to trial, not, has
already passed from death to life. "
Both are filled with the joy of salvation that day. They got happy in the mornin
g and at night went to bed happy. This happened for many weeks. Then one morning
the grandmother stood up "on the wrong side of bed." He remained angry and mood
y all day. The granddaughter watching what heinous evil and acting. This lasted
until night fell. Finally, the little girl began to mourn and told Grandma, "has
changed the verse from the Bible? Dej love her. Has the Bible verse? Still say,
verily, I say to you Whoever hears my message and testifies to who sent me has
eternal life is not called to trial, not, has already passed from death to life.
The grandmother smiled. The promise of God was kept alive in her heart and said
"God forgive me. Yes, thank God, that I have eternal life! "Recovered and their
joy, and brotherhood. We find an example in this story, what you should do. Che
ck your promises, read your Bible and look to see if the devil delete some of th
em. Find out if he has dared to invade the Word of God or changed any of the pro
mises of God, if you expect to receive prosperity, examine your verses on it. We
read in the Word of God: "Beloved, I wish you prosper in all things, and be hea
lthy as well as your soul prospers (3 John 2). If you expect to receive health c
are, examines the Scriptures on it. We read in the Word, Jesus tells us, "... He
Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, sho
uld live unto righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed "(1 Peter 2:24). e
xamines the promises for any thing you expect to receive from God! THE WORD OF G
OD never changes! never fails! This is a true story. He had a missionary friend
in Mexico, who once picked up a tourist standing in the road waving transportati
on free, and started talking to him about the Lord. Then, tourists pointed a gun
and told him to stop on a lonely road in the countryside. pretended to take the
car with everything in it and leave my friend in a wilderness. My friend turned
to this man and said "you can not do this to me. I have more power than you, gr
eater is he that is in me than he that is in the world (cf. 1 John 4:4). I have
power over the devil that is in you. "The offender said" keep driving. "My frien
d stayed at the wheel, the gun was plunged into his side,€but said "can not do
this. God
the Bible tells me that I have power over all the power of the devil (cf. Luke 1
0:19). You can not do this to me. "The offender forced him to drive to a deserte
d road and stop there. My friend insisted," You can not do this to me! Jesus liv
es in me. In Jesus' name, you can not do this to me. I have power over you and t
he devil is in you ". The criminal led to a field and was ordered to remove her
clothes. My friend said," You can not do this to me. God says in the Bible that
greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world, and in the name of Jes
us I can I cast out demons. I have more power than you and you're not going to d
o this to me. I command Satan to go! "The offender said," Take off your clothes.
"He was in his underwear ... The man of God, faith and power! It appeared that
nothing was going to pay off ! In fact it seemed that nothing was going to be. I
t seemed that everything had failed. You think you're in a bad situation? do you
say to this man! While the offender was heading to his car, my friend raised hi
s voice and said once again shouting, "in Jesus' name can not do that! In Jesus'
name I command you back! Satan, in Jesus' name you're defeated! "The offender r
eturned in a matter of moments, gave him his clothes and said," Man, I sympathiz
e with you! "You know what happened?" The devil came out of the delinquent. You
get the impression the devil you are cutting into strips and leaving you with no
thing, but if you examine your promises and put all your trust in the Word of Go
d, always win. Once you live the Word of God in you, will not suffer any disease
, poverty, disease, defeat, or calamities, God's Word has been established in I
T forever! You have to establish it. The Word of God will be raised to a higher
level of faith. "Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word o
f God "(Romans 10:17). Examine your promises. Find out what God says. Confirms i
f He tells you the truth, and if He says what you think it says. Have you put yo
ur trust in His Word? Did you have faith in Jesus before crossing this valley? "
The Word of God does not change. Examine your promises. Remind God, remind the d
evil, remind yourself what God says.
Stop whispering, moaning, growling, muttering and complaining. REVIEW YOUR PROMI
SES!
# 3
-THIRD,
REVIEW
YOUR CONFESSION.
Jesus said, "for verily I say unto you, whoever says to this mountain, and cast
into the sea, and no doubt in his heart but shall believe that what he says, wha
t he says will be done" (Mark 11 23). I'll never rise higher than your confessio
n. Never you will sink lower than your confession. Many people have the idea tha
t if in an emergency take the Word of God and the quote, then will work. It will
work! You will receive what you say or you've been saying constantly. You can n
ot just say what you want all the time, suddenly quoting the Word of God and exp
ect a miracle. Do not work that way. You train yourself to speak the Word of God
constantly and live that faith every day. "Death and life are in the power of t
he tongue" (Proverbs 18.21). Examine your confession. Generally, when you have a
problem, you do not say what God says about the situation. Rather, speculate, s
uppose, reason, and look at the circumstances rather than the Word of God. We re
ad in the Word of God "... refuting arguments and every high thing that exalts i
tself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to
the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5). Your thoughts have to agree with
the Word of God. Examine what you've been saying. If you need to heal and someo
ne asks you how you feel, do not complain for hours telling all your calamities.
Confess what God is doing for you. Never let any of the words that leave your m
outh, contradicting what you expect to receive from God. If you think contradict
s the Word of God, do not tell. You can have faith in God to work with your hear
t, and doubt in your mind! Protect your heart. If in your mind all sorts of thou
ghts contrary, if refuse to say them, will be born dead. Once the utter, give th
em life! Replace negative thoughts with thoughts of God, the Bible. Meditate on
the Word of God.
Confess what God says about your situation. Before getting out of bed, praying i
n the Holy Spirit. Recite the prayers that appear in Ephesians 1.17 to 23 and Ep
hesians 3, 17-19. Confess what the Word of God says about you. Know who you are
in Christ!
# 4. "FOURTH, EXAMINES THE BATTLEFIELD.
If ever the devil leads you to the field of reasoning and discuss your symptoms,
you defeat every time. Stay in the field of faith and win every time. Examines
the field in which struggles. Are you trying to fight Satan in the field of reas
oning? Are you struggling with the symptoms and trying to reason "why"? STOP! Be
filled with faith. Say the following: "No matter how the situation looks. Can a
pparently do not change this situation ever, but God says ..." and cites His Wor
d. BELIEVE IN GOD! "It is therefore, faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). Faith in the Word of God and
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the evidence of things not see with your eyes
and feel with your senses.
# 5-FIFTH, EXAMINES THE COMPANY THAT THE GUARDS AND THAT fellowship.
Do you keep constant company with people of faith? Are your colleagues or classm
ates who confess the Word of God? If you associate with people you do not rely o
n faith, you might end up fighting for ASIRT to your promise. There is a possibi
lity that you become like the people they associate with you. Share with men and
women of faith. Desdeluego, open wide your heart to everyone and share the love
of Jesus, but when you give advice, share, listen and I urge you, make sure you
choose those that are established in the Word of God and faith. Your ears are n
ot garbage cans! Be careful what you hear. Extended read in the Bible, "Be caref
ul what you hear. The measure of thought and study you give to the truth you hea
r will be the measure of virtue and knowledge to return to you, and also give yo
u more you're listening "
(Mark 4:24). Do not you agree with the disbelief and doubt. Not receive advice f
rom people who criticize the Word of God. Decide! Do what is right. Do not compr
omise the Word of God. If someone says something that discourages you reply with
the Word of God. When people ask you how you feel, give God's answer: "Praise t
he Lord, am a winner. The great God dwells in me. I am the salt of the earth and
light of the world. I am justice God in Christ. All I can do in Christ. I am bl
essed. " You will not have problems with people when they confess the Word of Go
d will come to you or give you back. Find out your colleagues and people with wh
om you share.
# 6-SIXTH, examine and investigates whether obey the Scriptures that brings you
VICTORY.
Many people live mundane lives, ignored God's commandments. When they try to app
ropriate God's promises fail. We read in the Bible "Be anxious for nothing (anxi
ous), but your requests before God in everything by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6)." Put on the whole armor of God so that you can
take your stand against the wiles of the devil "(Ephesians 5.6 to 11). You wear
the armor of God so that the Word is acting on you." But be doers of the word an
d therefore not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. "For if anyone is a hearer o
f the word and not a doer, he is like a man in a mirror at his natural face." Be
cause he is considered the same and goes, and then forget what it was. "But he t
hat looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and perseveres in it, not become a
forgetful hearer but to make the work, this will be blessed in what he does" (Ja
mes 1, 22-25). You have to obey the Word of God. Do not do any good if you are n
ot a doer of the Word.
Jesus tells a story in Matthew 7, 24-27. "Anyone who hears these words, and slid
e it work, I will liken him unto a wise man who built his house upon a rock." Ra
in descended, and came to the rivers and the winds blew and beat upon that house
, and did not fall, it was founded on the rock. "But anyone who hears these word
s and do not put in work, will look like a foolish man who built his house upon
the sand and the rain descended, and came to the rivers and the winds blew and b
eat upon that house, and great was its fall. "The house was left standing becaus
e the man called his work the Word. When the Lord says," that the sun not surpri
sed at his anger "(Ephesians 4:32), have to obey the Word! When the Lord says, "
Be kind to one another" (Ephesians 4:32), you have to obey that Word. When the L
ord says "forgive" (cf. Luke 6:37), you have to forgive . The Lord tells us thro
ugh James, "Submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil and he will fle
e from you" (James 4:7). If you're in a spiritual battle and need help, you must
obey the Scripture and I help. Surrender to God. Some people want to resist the
devil,€but not put God first. "Submit to the Word of God and then resist the d
evil." Suppose that the devil whispers "you are not healed, you're going to die.
" Open your Bible in Exodus 23.25, and read aloud for the devil you hear, "But y
ou will serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water, an
d remove sickness from among you ... and will fill the number of thy days. " Rea
d Isaiah 53.5: "By his stripes we are healed." Go back to the devil and say, "I
resist you in Jesus name. Let me go!" Would have to go.
# 7-Finally, EXAMINE YOUR LIFE TO SEE IF YOU PRAISE PRAISE THE LORD BEFORE YOU S
EE THE ANSWER.
Are you showing your faith by praising the Lord before receiving the answer? We
read in the Word of God as follows: "I will bless the Lord at all times: his pra
ise shall continually be in my mouth" (Psalm 34.1). Investigate to see if you're
praising God as if you had already received your answer. If you act, speak, pra
ising God as if you have them, THE WILL! Praised God because Jesus raised Lazaru
s from the dead, before He raised him up. He stood before the tomb and said: "Fa
ther, I thank thee for having heard" (I thank you because as far as I'm concerne
d, I resurrected) (John 11,
41). Someone once said, "I'd be afraid to say that. You might not get out!" Sure
does not come with the attitude of doubt! Jesus praised God before raising Laza
rus. Joshua and the people of Israel with a loud voice shouted in triumph before
the fall of the wall (see Joshua 6:5). Abraham praised God before seeing Isaac
(cf. Romans 4:17).
When nothing seems to work, review your checklist to find loose connections. 1.
Examine your own life. 2. Examine your promises. 3. Examine your confession. 4.
Examine the area where you fight. 5. Examine the company that surrounds you and
with whom you share. 6. Examines and verifies that you are obeying the Scripture
s that will bring you victory. 7. Examine your life of worship. If you examine a
nd verify these points, find where is the loose connection. A slight adjustment,
I put back on the road!
Scripture quotations taken from: NEW SPANISH BIBLE, Latin American edition, tran
slated from the original texts directed by Luis Alson Schokel and Juan Mateos, C
hristianity Ediciones, Madrid, Spain. Annotated SCOFIELD BIBLE (KJV)