Joel Osteen Podcast - Don't Be Defined By Your Mistakes | Joel Osteen

Episode Date: September 16, 2025

God's mercy is bigger than any mistake you've made. Receive His mercy today, and get ready to step into the fullness of your destiny.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 receive this month's special offer click here!  https://bit.ly/3IoICUP 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. Well, God bless you. It's a joy to come into your homes. And if you're ever in our area, please stop by and be a part of one of our services. I'll promise you we'll make you feel right at home.

I like to start with something funny. and I heard about this elderly couple that had been married for over 60 years, never had an argument, never had a crossword. They weren't a church function. Someone asked them the secret of their success. The man told how he always treated his wife with respect and how he took her on trips around the world. He said, in fact, for our 25th wedding anniversary, I took her to Beijing, China. Everyone politely applauded. Someone said, what did you do for your 50th wedding anniversary? He said, said, I went back and picked her up. Say it like you mean it.

This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. I have what it says I have. I can do what it says I can do. Today I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess, my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be the same. In Jesus' name.

God bless you. I want to talk to you today about don't be defined. by your mistakes. We can all look back and see times where we gave into temptation. We let our guard down and compromised. We were sloppy and didn't handle a situation the way we should. It's easy to be defined by one moment in life, by divorce, by business that didn't make it, by how we raised our children. The enemy is called the accuser. He would love to convince you to let that one mistake that one season to cause you to live down on yourself, not be passionate about your dreams.

But that mistake didn't stop God's plan. You may have failed, but you are not a failure. That was a moment in your life. That was one season. It doesn't determine your future. Don't let that mistake define who you are. If you go around wearing negative labels, divorced, addicted, failed,

compromise, it will keep you from the fullness of what God has in store. If you're a baseball fan, you may remember the name Bill Buckner. He was a star player for the Boston Red Sox for many years. He had more hits than Joe DiMaggio or Ted Williams. One season he won the batting title, had the highest batting average in all of baseball. He was a great teammate, a leader in the clubhouse. But in 1986, during the World Series, he went to field a slow rolling ground ball and missed it. It went right between his legs and the other team scored and tied the game.

That opponent went on to win the World Series. The fans were so upset, so disgruntled, they never let him live it down. He became known as the player that missed the ground ball. despite his illustrious career, despite all of his hits, all the runs he scored, they didn't remember any of that. All they remembered was that one bad play, that one mistake. Bill Buckner passed away earlier this year. Thirty-three years after that game, the first line in the National Associated Press article was Bill Buckner, a star hitter who became known for making one of most infamous plays in baseball. People will try to define you by your mistakes. They'll try to stick

labels on you, remind you of all the times you failed, the times you compromised, the times you didn't measure up. Sadly, some people will choose to remember your failures more than your victories. Like with Bill Buckner, despite all the good you do, despite the time you make sacrifices to help others, You're honoring God, but when you make one mistake, when you go through one bad season, don't be surprised if people don't try to convince you to live condemned like you're washed up. Well, God's not going to bless you. You missed the ground ball. You went through the divorce.

You gave into temptation. Just sit on the sidelines. No, don't let people label you. They don't determine your destiny. They cannot stop what God has ordained. bane for your life. The only one that can stop you is you. If you let your mistakes define you, if you wear labels that people stick on you, if you believe the lies from the accuser that will keep you from your destiny. And when someone keeps bringing up your past mistakes, trying to get you

to live condemned, they may not realize it, but they're working for the accuser. The enemy uses people. You can't stop them from putting labels on you, but you can take them right off. I am not defined by my mistakes. I'm defined by what God says about me. I'm forgiven. I'm redeemed. My past is over. My mistakes are behind me.

My failures are in my yesterday. And you know what? I'm not bringing them into today. God's mercy is new every morning. Receive that mercy and move forward. forward? What about the failure? It's in the past. What about the mistake? It's covered by mercy. What about the divorce, the compromise, the times I've blown it? That's over and done. Life is too short to let what happened in the past to keep you from the great things God has in your future.

After Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead, he appeared to some of the disciples as they were meeting in a room. Thomas wasn't there that day. They went out afterwards and found him. They thought Thomas would be excited to know that they had seen the Lord. Thomas wasn't buying it. He said, unless I see him with my own eyes, unless I feel the nail prints in his hands, I'm not going to believe. Eight days later, all the disciples were in a room. Jesus came walking through the door. He went right up to Thomas, held out his hands and said, See the nail prints? Feel the scars in my side.

Thomas fell on his knees and said, Lord, I believe. What's interesting is Thomas doubted that one time, but he's become known as doubting Thomas. People have stuck their labels on him. You would think that he had doubted his whole life, that he was always questioning his faith. But this was just eight days of his life.

It's easy to judge people by one mistake. It's easy to let one failure define who you are. If Thomas would have worn that label, doubter, failure, he would have missed his purpose. And we hear a lot about doubting Thomas. What we don't hear much about is Thomas is the one that took the gospel to India. It's believed that he took the message of Christ further than any disciple. I've been to India many times with my father. It seems like every other believer is named Thomas.

He made a great impact with his life. We call him doubting Thomas. You know what God calls him? Believing Thomas. Forgiven Thomas. Anointed Thomas. Favored Thomas. In the same way, God is not judging you by one mistake, by one bad season.

Why are you beating yourself up? why are you wearing labels that people have stuck on you? Why have you settled where you are? There is an incredible future awaiting you. You haven't made too many mistakes. You haven't missed your chance. If you'll remove the labels that are telling you everything you're not, how you've blown it, you doubted, you failed, that's in the past. That doesn't have to stop you. The enemy would love for you to go through life living condemned. We're in negative labels, doubter, failure, divorce, unworthy. Do yourself a favor. Take off those labels and put on what God says about you. Forgiven, redeemed, blessed, qualified, victorious. Sometimes we make mistakes with good intentions. Bill Buckner wasn't trying to miss the ground ball.

He wasn't being undisciplined, slacking off. He was being his best and still. I still missed it. You may have done your best, but the relationship didn't make it. You gave it your all, but the business didn't succeed. Like Thomas, your heart is right. You love God, but you didn't handle the situation the proper way, and now it set you back. This is what happened to Moses. As a young man, God gave him the dream that he would deliver the Israelites out of slavery. He knew he was supposed to do it, but he got in a hurry and did it out of God's timing. He saw a Hebrew slave being mistreated by an Egyptian supervisor. He didn't think anyone was watching and he killed the supervisor.

Moses wasn't trying to make a mistake. He wasn't being defiant. He just made a bad choice. He had to flee for his life. He spent 40 years on the backside of the desert in high. hiding. It looked like that one mistake stopped his destiny, that that one bad choice disqualified him. I'm sure in the desert thoughts told him, Moses, you're a failure. What were you thinking? Why are you so impatient? You blew it. He was wearing all these negative labels. He thought that mistake would

define him. The good news is, God doesn't judge us by one mistake or by two mistakes or for some of us, about 10,000 mistakes. God's calling on your life is irrevocable. He doesn't change his mind. Moses had given up. He had accepted that he would never accomplish his dream. But God doesn't give up. You may have counted yourself out.

God has already counted you in. He chose you before you could choose him. That mistake is not who you are. it's what you did. It didn't cancel your destiny. That one bad season doesn't determine the rest of your life. 40 years later, when Moses was 80 years old, God came to him and said, now Moses, it's time, go deliver my people. I can imagine Moses nearly passed out. God, are you sure? You mean after I failed, after I blew it, after I was impatient, you're still going to use me? Here's a key. God doesn't define us by our mistakes. He refines us by our mistakes. He will take those failures and those wrong turns and use it to do a work in us. The scripture says, Moses became the most humble man in all the earth. Out in the desert, he learned to be patient. He learned to trust God in a new way. If you'll keep the right attitude, God will use your feelings. failures to get you prepared for where he's taking you. Like Moses, you may have blown it. You feel like

you're out in the desert, convinced that you've seen your best days. No, get ready. Your time is coming. God is about to do a new thing. That relationship that didn't work out, that's not how your story ends. God has someone else coming, someone better than you've imagined. That addiction that you're struggling with, it is not your destiny. That is a season, not a lifetime. Don't let it become permanent. Take off that label that says addicted, put on some new labels, free, whole, restored. My father was married at an early age, and unfortunately, the marriage didn't work out. He had to resign from his church. Denominational leaders told him that he had never pastor again. He didn't know any better. He put their labels on him. Failure, washed up, unqualified. He didn't get into the

marriage thinking it was going to fail. He had good intentions. But sometimes life doesn't turn out the way we thought. That's when the enemy goes to work overtime, trying to convince you to let that mistake define who you are. My father took the bait. He lived condescive. He lived condition. He damned, ashamed, embarrassed. He thought that mistake would define the rest of his life. So he got out of the ministry and started selling insurance. One day he learned what I'm telling you that our failures don't cancel God's plan. God has already taken into account every mistake we would ever make. My father took off the negative labels. He stopped seeing himself as washed up and started seeing himself as forgiven, as redeemed, as a child of the most high. He got his passion

back and got back into ministry, started pastoring a church, eventually met my mother. They fell in love and were married for almost 50 years. Daddy pastored Lakewood for 40 years. It would have never happened if he had let that mistake define who he was. If he would have gone around wearing negative labels down on himself, he would have missed his purpose. You may have made mistakes, but you have to learn to forgive yourself. Quit beating yourself up over what didn't work out. Sometimes we can forgive others easier than we can forgive ourselves. People tell me, Joel, I didn't raise my children right. I blew my marriage, wasted years of my life on drugs. That's in the past. You can't change what's behind you, but you can do something about what's in front of you. God's mercy is bigger

than any mistake that you've made. He can still get you to where you're supposed to be, but you have to do something important. Forgive yourself. Quit dwelling on everything you've done wrong, how you should have been more disciplined, how you didn't control your temper. The moment you ask God to forgive you, he forgave you. Not only that, he doesn't remember your mistakes. Why don't you quit remembering what God is forgotten? Quit replaying your failures, quit reliving your mistakes, thinking of the times that you didn't measure up. That's just making you more guilty, more condemned. When Jesus was about to be crucified, he told Peter that he would deny him three times before the rooster crowed that night. Peter said, not me, Lord, I'm your main disciple.

I'll never let you down. Later that evening, Peter did exactly what Jesus said. What's interesting is Jesus already knew that Peter was going to fail. He already knew he was going to blow it, but he chose him as his disciple anyway. You would think God would choose people more disciplined. more faithful, more committed. But God knows we're not perfect. He knows we're going to make mistakes. And Peter was so down on himself, so ashamed. The scripture says he went out and wept bitter tears.

Was it long after that that Jesus was crucified? Peter never had the chance to tell him that he was sorry. He had to live with this guilt, this heaviness. Two ladies went to the tomb to check on Jesus' body. an angel appeared to don't be afraid Jesus has risen now go tell his disciples

and Peter that he is alive of all the people God could have mentioned at that critical time the only one he specifically pointed out was Peter God was showing us I don't define you by your mistakes I don't cancel your destiny

because you failed 50 days later, the church was about to be birthed. They needed someone to give the inaugural address, someone to speak at this historic event. I can imagine the disciples talking. Matthew, you should do it. You're a great speaker. You would be good.

John, you should do it. You're very powerful. Then someone spoke up and said, no, Peter, it's supposed to be you. I remember Jesus said, you are Peter. And upon this rock, I will build my church. All the disciples chimed in. Yes, Peter, you're definitely the one. He said, there's no way.

Fifty days ago, I denied him. I blew it. I failed. I'm ashamed. It was my worst moment. He was wearing all these labels telling him that he had missed his destiny. Just as he's about to walk away, condemned, guilty, something rose up on the end.

side. He said, hey, wait a minute, I'm not defined by my mistakes. One bad night doesn't cancel what God has ordained for me. He stood up and spoke to the crowd. 3,000 people came to know the Lord. Maybe you too have failed. The good news is God already knew it was going to happen. It didn't stop your destiny. You're still going to accomplish your dream. You're still going to have a happy family. You're still going to meet the right person. Now do your part, take off the negative labels. Quit dwelling on what you don't deserve. How many times you've blown it? God is saying, get back in the game. If Peter can stand up 50 days after he denied Christ and start the church, then you too can still become all you were created to be.

Matthew chapter 3 Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River when he came up out of the water this voice boomed out announcing that he was the son of God it was a significant moment Jesus ministry was about to begin you would think Jesus would go back to Galilee

where all the people were start teaching and healing but right after this first public endorsement right after this sign of God's favor. The scripture says Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert to be tempted for 40 days. If you would have seen Jesus out in the desert, you could have thought, I just saw him come out of this glorious moment. I just heard the voice saying he was the son of God. What's he doing out here? This is a mistake. He's off course. Sometimes what we think is a mistake is a mistake.

is really the hand of God. It doesn't say the enemy led him into the desert. It says the spirit led him into the desert. There will be times God takes you into things you don't understand.

Feels like a failure. The door closed. The person walked away. The contract didn't go through. You could be down on yourself. Thinking, God, I was being my best. What did I do wrong? How do you know that was

the spirit leading you out there. Some doors are supposed to close. Some people are supposed to walk away. Some opportunities are not supposed to last. On the way to our destiny, like with Jesus, God will lead us into a desert experience, into something that doesn't make sense. And if we let what seems like a failure define us, then we will miss what God really had in mind. As soon as Jesus passed the test, after those 40 days, he came out of the desert and started his ministry. What looked like a failure, what looked like he was off course, was really leading him to a new level of his destiny. Quit being discouraged over what didn't work out. You did your best, but the business didn't make it.

Feels like a failure. No, that's not how your story ends. God led you into the desert because he has something much bigger in your future. He had to close that door to get you to the fullness of what he has in store. Every silent season is not the enemy. Every desert experience is not a bad thing. You don't know what God is up to. When we go through what seems like a failure, it's easy to think, Joel, I don't have God's favor now.

nothing's working out. No, stay in faith. You're on the verge of a new level. God's about to take you where you've never been. Now, keep passing these tests. Other people may judge you by where you are. Look down on you, think you're finished. Man, you're in the desert. You're way off course. Don't pay any attention. God has the final say. They may discount you now, but your time is coming. They will see you promoted, honored in a position of greater favor. A friend of mine pastored a church for 30 years, very successful. He poured his heart and soul into it, and he saw God's blessings and favor. But a few years back, things begin to go downhill. So he started working harder than ever. He would meet with members in their home at night,

started a 6 a.m. prayer meeting, did everything he could to keep it going. But instead of increasing, it kept decreasing. Eventually, he saw the writing on the wall and had to turn it over to another group. They came and brought their own members and started a fresh and a new. After 30 years, he left there feeling like a failure. They didn't give him a going away party. Nobody said, thank you. Some of his peers looked down on him, saw him as a quitter. Why didn't you stick with it? why didn't you push through it? He felt shame and embarrassment. All those years of work had nothing really to show for it.

He thought his legacy would continue, but this new group came in, changed the name of the church, basically just bought the building. He couldn't understand it. After such a long season of favor, how could it come to an end so abruptly? He was certain that was the enemy closing the door. The truth is, it was the spirit

leading him into the desert. It was God taking him through a silent season, not to leave him there, but to increase him, to take him somewhere that he had never been. A couple of years later,

he had the opportunity to work with another ministry. Today, he's impacting more people in a week than he would in a whole year at his church. He and his wife never dreamed

they'd see this much influence and favor. some of the same peers that look down on him, made fun of him, now they want him to come and help their church. They're celebrating what he's doing. Maybe what you think is a failure is really just a desert experience. It's all a part of God's plan to get you to where you've never dreamed. You think you've missed it. Why did this door closed? Why did these people walk away?

What did I do wrong? Nothing. It's God. leading you. On the other side of that silent season is a new level. Don't judge your future by where you are in the desert. You can't let what you don't understand. What doesn't make sense cause you to get better, sour, give up on your dreams. No, keep doing the right thing. Keep being good to people. Keep honoring God. And like my friend, you're going to come into something more than you've Imagine. When you look back, you will realize it wasn't the enemy stopping me. It was the

spirit leading me. It was God taking me through a silent season so he could launch me further than I thought possible. My challenge today, don't let what you've been through taint the rest of your life. God wouldn't have allowed it if it was going to keep you from your purpose. Whether you brought the trouble on yourself or whether the spirit led you into the desert. One thing I can assure you, God is not finished with you. Your mistakes did not cancel your destiny. You wouldn't be alive if there wasn't something awesome in your future. Now, why don't you take off all the negative labels and put on some new labels, forgiven, redeemed child of the Most High God? If you'll do this, I believe and declare.

despite your mistakes, despite your failures, despite your doubts, you are still going to leave your mark and become who you were created to be. Right now, guilt is leaving, discouragement is leaving, favor is coming, promotion is coming, breakthroughs are coming, healing is coming, the fullness of your destiny, in Jesus' name. And if you receive it, can you say amen today? Well, I'd like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, I'll repent of my sins. Come into my heart.

I make you my Lord and Savior. Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in a good Bible-based church. Keep God first place. God's healing isn't earned. It's received. and you can discover how in the next 31 days. Life has a way of wearing us down, physically, mentally, emotionally,

but God didn't create us to just survive, but to thrive. I'm excited about our new devotional, happy, healthy, and free. For 31 days, I'll take you on a wellness journey for your spirit, body, and soul. It's filled with daily declarations, scriptures, encouragement. As you get your mind in tune with what God says, is you'll experience a refreshing, a revitalization. You are created to be strong, to be passionate, to live happy, healthy, and free. When you contact us today, we'll send you happy, healthy, and free,

a 31-day wellness journey as our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount. This devotional will help you strengthen your faith, declare God's promises, and receive the healing he's already made available to you. Spirit, soul, and body. God wants you whole, and this resource will help you experience his peace from the inside out. Please request your copy today.

Begin a life-receiving, life-giving journey that will transform your spirit, mind, and body in just 31 days. God is going to restore what the enemy tried to steal, your joy, your peace, your hell. Victoria, and I pray for you and your family every day. Thanks so much for your prayer, and support. Your generosity is bringing hope to people around the world. Special thank you to our

champion of hope partners for your monthly gifts. If you're not a partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one. Remember, you can watch the services online every Sunday morning, download our daily podcast, watch on YouTube, the new Joel Osteen Network, social media. You can listen on SiriusXM 24 hours a day. We'll keep you encouraged and inspired. Until we see you next time, May the Lord bless you and keep you. Be sure to request your copy of Happy, Healthy, and Free. A 31-day wellness journey. Visit Joel Osteen.com or call 888-567, Joel.

For an additional gift this month, we are also offering the Wholeness and Promise bundle, which includes the Happy, Healthy, and Free Book, plus The Words of Promise Journal, a beautifully designed journal where you can reflect, record prayers, and speak life over your future. You can also request the Happy, Healthy, and Free Collection, featuring the Devotional, the Journal, and a beautifully crafted set of three desktop encouragement blocks. Each whitewashed wooden block displays one powerful word,

happy, healthy, and free, along with a carefully chosen scripture. Place them in your home or workspace as daily reminders of God's promises for your life. You can request these life-changing resources, by calling 888-567, Joel, or logging on to Joelosteen.com today. Call or click anytime, 24 hours a day. This is your season to rise stronger, live lighter, and walk daily in God's healing and peace.

Request your copies today. If you're a pastor, we'd like to invite you to our pastor's gathering. We'd be honored to spend the day with you here at Lakewood. We'll share some of the things we've learned. and behind the scenes, be a time of inspiration and encouragement. We'd love to meet you.