Joel Osteen Podcast - An Extravagant Giver | Victoria Osteen

Episode Date: March 15, 2025

Because we serve the Creator of the universe, we are never empty-handed. God knows how to turn what you have into more than enough!Your best days are still ahead, and together we can make a difference in this world with the message of God's hope and love. To give visitJoelOsteen.com/GiveHope.God wants to bless you abundantly!It’s time to embrace His promises, stop settling for less,  and step into the overflow. Our March offer will show you how to shift your mindset so that your heart aligns with God's Word and you walk confidently into the abundant life He has for you,https://bit.ly/4jIaL7a. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of the Joel Osteen Podcast ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and share it with a friend? We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. I just want to talk to you today about being an extravagant giver. You know, when you live a life of giving, you live the best possible life there is. Now, sometimes we think, well, I can't give all the time. if I give all the time, I won't have anything left. Or we think, if someone asks me for something that I don't have, how do you expect me to give?

But can I tell you this today, that there is never a time that you are empty-handed. You always have something to give. In the book of Acts, Peter and Paul were walking to the temple to worship God. It was a time of day where everyone came to worship at the temple. I can just imagine the crowd and everybody trying to get into the temple so they could all get a good seat. Kind of like this morning, you know, you got out of your car, you were rushing here, you wanted to get your seat before someone took it. You were all busy. And so they came walking into the temple.

They were passing the gates of the temple and they passed a man who was sitting there begging. Now the Bible talks about this man and this man had been crippled from birth and the people that took care of him placed him at the gate. gate every single day. Obviously, it was a good place to sit for spare change because he was there every day. I'm sure if it wasn't a good place, they would have moved him somewhere else, right? So he was there that day begging, believing that he was going to get what he needed for that day, have enough money to take care of himself and the people who helped him. Well, this particular day when Peter and John were walking past the gate, he hollered out to them. And he said, hey, I need some money. He was begging from them.

And I can see Peter and John, they're probably having a good time, a good day. It was a good day for them. And they kind of felt their pockets. Maybe they got their money bag, and they realized, I don't have any money. And, you know, it would have been easy for them to say, well, buddy, you know what, I'll catch you next time. You know, I don't have any money right now, but I'll catch you next time. Have you ever done that? Someone asked you for something you didn't have, and you think, wow, well, I have.

I have. Okay, I'll admit it, I have. I was sitting at the light parked in my car at an intersection, and I was just sitting there minding my own business when this man I saw him walking to all the cars. And he was begging for money. And so I reached in my purse and I started looking for some spare money. I didn't see any money, no change. I began to look in my console, no money at all. And I saw him getting closer and closer to me.

And I felt bad because, you know, you always want to give something to him. I didn't want to deny the man. So I grabbed my phone and I started talking on it. I was like, yeah, yeah, you know? And so when he passed my car, he didn't even know I saw him. I didn't have what he was asking for. So I just ignored it. You see, I am so glad that day that Peter and John, because they didn't have money, they didn't ignore the man. See, Peter realized I always have something to give, as long as I have the power of the most high living in me. He looked straight at that guy, and he said, hey, but he's silver and gold I don't have,

but I do have something, and his name is Jesus. And he reached out his hand, and he said, get on up and walk, buddy, you're healed in the name of Jesus. And the Bible says that that guy jumped up, and there was a miracle that everyone saw that day. He'd begin jumping and leaping and praising God. Listen, Peter realized he was never empty-handed. You may not have exactly what someone is asking you for, but do you have a hand to pick up your neighbor? Do you have an encouraging word to put someone on their feet?

You know what I learned that day that I grabbed my phone, tried to ignore the fact that I didn't have what that man needed? I realized I do. I do have something. I have the name of Jesus. And next time I run in that situation, I'm praying. God, thank you that you'll give that man supernatural opportunity, that Father, he'll understand his value and his worth.

God, I thank you that you're doing things he could never, ever, ever expect that only you can do, Father. Bless him today, Father, enrich his life. You see, I have a prayer, and that prayer is powerful when you give it in love. When you put it in the hands of Jesus, it has a ripple effect. It makes a difference on this earth. You see, that's extravagant giving. That's a person who knows that they're not lacking anything because they serve the creator of the world.

I may not have exactly what you need today, but I have something better. I have a prayer. I have a hand. I have a word. I have something I can do for you. Maybe it's just your time. Sometimes time can be more valuable than money. Hey, does your sister just need an encouraging word?

Does she need you to just sit down for five minutes and help her out with the situation that she's going through? Maybe she just needs you to nod and say, yes, you can do it. What is it that someone needs today? You have it because you are never empty-handed. A lot of times, we don't have enough financially. If you do have enough financially,

praise God, give it. God always gives back. But sometimes we don't have enough to solve someone's problem. We don't have enough to get them out of the situation. There was a young boy in the Bible. He packed his sack lunch one morning. He decided he was going to go see Jesus. He put five loaves of bread and two fish in it.

He thought this should take care of me at least for the afternoon when I get hungry. I had a good breakfast, but it'll take care of me this afternoon. So he was standing in the crowd watching Jesus. And all of a sudden he got a tap on the shoulder. And this disciple came up to him and said, hey, young man, can I have your lunch? I see you got a lunch there. He said, I've got to feed all these people.

And I'm sure the boy was like, I'm sorry, but this is not enough to feed all the people. Can you imagine him scratching his head thinking, where did this guy come from? You know, but the boy gave it anyway. The boy said, maybe I don't have enough, but let me just see what would happen. And that day, the disciples took that lunch and put it in the hands of Jesus.

That little bit wasn't enough. But in the hands of Jesus, it fed 5,000 people that day. You may not have enough to meet the entire need. You may not have enough to solve the problem. But can you share your lunch? Can you give a little? Can you do what it takes to help a friend? Listen, we need to have this abundant mentality

Because I believe when we put our little, no matter what it is, is it a smile? Are you holding a door for a stranger when you walk through the door first? Are you just letting your light shine? I believe when we begin to put our little in the hands of Jesus, that's when we're going to see miracles. That's where we're going to see the blind sea, the cripple wall, the lame jump. We're going to see relationships mended. We're going to see the ripple effect. of what we have given to Jesus effective on this entire earth.

You know, when we give, no matter what it is, how great or how small, that giving serves and helps others. But do you know really what that giving does? It powerfully transforms the giver. Do you want to transform life? Do you want to live at your highest level? Do you want to see God do things not only in your own life, but in the lives around you? Be that extravagant giver.

that mentality of I'm never empty-handed, I've always got something to offer. And watch God take your little and make it into a lot. Make it into much. We all carry a mental picture of what our life can be. Is yours limited? Do you picture yourself stuck, inadequate, defeated? Are you willing to change your mindset in order to experience a life of blessing and abundance? We all have a picture in our mind of our self, our family, our future. And if that picture is negative, you see yourself at a disadvantage, your problem's too big, it's going to limit your life. My new book, The Abundance Mindset, will help you see yourself the right way. If you'll change those negative pictures, start seeing yourself blessed, healthy, rising high, or accomplishing dreams,

then things will begin to shift in your favor. You have to see it on the inside before it'll come to pass on the outside. We'll send you the Mindset Journal too. These tools will help you get your inner vision in the right place so you can move into the favor and blessing that God has for you. As our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount this month, we would like to send you a copy of Joel's book, The Abundance Mindset, and this inspiring mindset journal.

Joel shares powerful scriptures and encouraging thoughts about how to move from barely enough to more than enough, how to be someone else's miracle and experience miracles in your own life. As you make the book and journal a part of your daily walk, you'll be built up every day regarding how to tap into God's favor and blessing, how not to talk yourself out of the dreams and opportunities

he has already prepared for you. How to experience life to the fullest. Request your copies today and begin to see a new mental picture of you. yourself that will lead to new measures of blessing, favor, promotion, and abundance. Let's go into 2025 with an abundant mindset. I believe you're going to see the goodness of God in new ways. Victoria and I want you to know we pray for you and your family every day for God's very best. We want to thank you for your prayer and support. You are impacting people all over the

world. A special thank you to our Champion of Hope partners for your monthly support. If you're not partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one. Remember, you can watch the services online every Sunday morning. Download our daily podcast, listen on Sirius XM, watch on YouTube, also the new Joel Osteen Network streaming on television 24 hours a day. Until we see you again, may the Lord bless you and keep you. Be sure to request your copy of the Abundance Mindset Book and Mindset Journal today. Visit joelosteen.com call 888-567 Joel. For an additional donation this month, we are also offering His Goodness, Abundance Bowl.

You can request this inspiring resource by calling 888-567, Joel, or logging on to joelosteen.com today. If you've never been to Lakewood, we have a great opportunity. We call it Homecoming Weekend. We'd love to meet you and your family. You can see the building

and attend one of the services It's a great time to be a part of the Lakewood family. Looking forward to seeing you homecoming weekend.