Joel Osteen Podcast - Fight Fear And Discouragement | Victoria Osteen

Episode Date: August 15, 2026

Don't let fear rob you of your destiny. It's time to step into the promises God has for you! In just a few focused minutes each day, our August offer can help you renew your strength, quiet anxiety, and experience God's presence. Request 3-Minute Moments with God and make room for Him to move in your life.    https://bit.ly/4yye0FP See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's another great day to be alive, and we are so blessed to be here with you today. Victoria, my beautiful wife, and we're just praying for you guys to have a blessed summer. I sure hope you enjoy the podcast. I know I always enjoy these messages. They're so uplifting and encouraging and inspiring, so we hope you enjoy the message today. We love you guys so much. Thank you for being here. This is our year of acceleration.

Let's believe that as we go into this year of acceleration, that we're going to this year of acceleration, that God is going to do extraordinary things in our life. Let's don't limit God because of our own ability, because of our resources, because we don't feel like we have what it takes to do something extraordinary. See, God has designed you and created you to be special, to be different.

He's placed something on your life that gives you the advantage. Too often, we limit God because we only look at ourselves. We don't look at God. We look at ourselves. I've fallen into this trap before, wanting to pray a big prayer, wanting to believe for something spectacular in my life, but stopping at the moment of faith because I look at myself and wonder, could that really happen to me?

Could I really accomplish something like that? See, our victories are not going to be won by our own strength. our victories are going to be accomplished by God's favor. His gracious hand of favor on our life is what's going to bring about the extraordinary in our life. I think about Joseph, Moses, Nehemiah, Esther, just to name a few. They believed that they were anointed and they believed they were called by God to do great things. Now, in the natural, on paper, they didn't hold a great position. They didn't have plenty of resources.

They didn't necessarily come from the right family. But they believed this one thing that God had anointed them to do something great. Think about Joseph. He was a young boy doing great things, having an enjoyable life, when he realized his brothers despised him so much that they threw him in a pit and they sold him into slavery. His brothers despised him so much. They threw him in a pit and sold him into slavery.

Let me ask you something. Have you ever heard yourself say, my boss doesn't like me. That's why I can't get the promotion. Oh, my in-laws, they're pushing me down. My sister, the reason I'm the way I am is because she's always been so ugly to me. Oh, my husband, he never encourages me.

Have you ever heard yourself say something like that? Maybe make up an excuse why you couldn't do something? Well, Joseph was sold into slavery. He ended up coming into Potipers' house. Potipers' wife accused him falsely of doing something he did not do. He landed himself in prison. See, through Joseph's ups and downs, he still believed he had the anointing of God. And do you know Joseph ended up being second in command?

of all of Egypt, he was the one that was running the show. How could that have happened? How could that have happened? His brothers threw him in a pit. He became a slave. How did that happen? Moses, he was not even supposed to be alive. He was supposed to be killed as soon as he was born.

You see, some people say this, our generation is never going to do anything because, you know what, there's too much evil out there. There's too many things going against them. This internet, these evil people, this generation will never make it. Well, Moses was never intended to make it. The king had planned to kill every child under the age of two, and Moses was that child.

Moses tried to do something good, turned out bad. And he found himself wondering in the wilderness for 40 years. 40 years wondering in the wilderness, some people think they've wasted their life. They think, man, I just haven't done anything. Nothing's happened for me. Well, Moses probably felt the exact same way. But he knew this. He had the anointing of God on his life.

He persuaded Pharaoh to let them go. He talked them in to letting them escape from their bondage and slavery. And just about the time, he wrapped them up and was headed out. He found himself up against the Red Sea. He looked behind him. The enemy's army was coming on horses and chariots. They were way overpowered. The Israelites were on foot, maybe had a few little wagons with them, taking their children,

their older folks with them. They look behind them and here's these young bucks coming with swords and spears. Going to take them down. All of a sudden, Moses raises his rod. And this big body of water, that big obstacle, just splitting to. Was this if the winds just blew it back? And those people walked through on dry ground and got to the other side. What is that?

If you read that in the paper today, you'd say, that's sensationalism. That couldn't have happened. Moses wasn't even supposed to make it to three years old. He wasted 40 years in the wilderness. How did that happen? Nehemiah, he was a cut bear in the king's, house. He served wine to the table of the king, but he had a desire in his heart to see the walls of Jerusalem rebuilt where his ancestors were. They were in shame. They were in shambles.

He was a cup bearer. He didn't have the resources. He didn't have the money. He didn't have the influence. He wasn't a cabinet member. But he went to the king and the king. He not only granted him the time to take off to go, but he sent with him the resources. the timber, and he was able to round up the mighty men to rebuild those walls. Where that wall should have taken a year or two, Nehemiah did it in 52 days. 52 days. It was acceleration for Nehemiah. What was that?

Esther, she was born an orphan. She should have never made it. She had no family, no support, but she ended up being the queen of the land. and she had tremendous influence, and she saved an entire nation, the Jewish nation. What was that? It was the gracious hand of God's favor. It was the gracious hand of God's favor in their life. And you, too, have the gracious hand of God's favor in your life.

Don't ever forget it. When God breath into you, he gave you more than recent. resources, ability. He gave you more than friends and the right connections. He gave you an advantage. He gave you his favor. His favor. God is looking for men and women who will truly believe that they have the favor of God

in their life. Don't fall into the trap of, well, I don't have the resources. I don't have the ability. Take yourself out of the equation if you have to. Don't tie the hands of God because you can't. can't believe. Look at Almighty God and realize it's God's strength that's going to bring these things to pass. It's his gracious hand of favor in my life. Every day, you have to get up and you have to be willing to receive this favor. There will be days you get up and you're doubting yourself.

I'm sure Joseph did, Moses did. I know Esther did. But listen, you're a queen on the inside. You have the royal crown on your head. If you get up every morning, you're a woman. And you say, God, I receive this favor. It's not what I feel like. It's not in my own ability, but I'm here to honor you. I'm here to accept the free gift that you've given me, the advantage to live a life, a victory. I receive your favor. And I believe, through the ups and downs, God, you're going to get me to exactly where I need to be.

You see, when you have an attitude like that, it is possible for you to do the most extraordinary things. And can I tell you this? It is never too late to get started. You have not wasted your life. Moses thought he did, but God brought him back and gave him a flourishing finish. No to that you can accomplish extraordinary things in your life. I know you're probably a lot like me at this point, and you can look back over your life, and you can say, God, it has been the gracious hand of favor that's brought me to where I am today.

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to declare his promises, a moment to remember that he's working. I'd love to send you my new resource, three-minute moments with God. These short readings will help you refocus your thoughts, gain a fresh perspective, knowing that God is ordering your steps. You don't need hours to connect with God. In just a few minutes, you can turn your thoughts toward him and be encouraged by his promises. As you make time for him, you'll have greater peace and strength, and you'll step into the favor that belongs to you. Three-minute moments with God is a powerful new devotional

designed to meet you right where you are. Inside, you'll find topical readings for whatever you're facing. Whether you need peace, wisdom, healing, or hope. Each one is filled with scripture, an encouraging thought, a heartfelt prayer,

and faith-building declarations. So in just a few focused minutes, you can quiet the noise, turn your heart toward God, and set the atmosphere for Him. him to move. It's yours as a thank you for your gift to the ministry today. Be sure to request your copy of three-minute moments with God available this month by visiting us at Joel Osteen.com or call 888-567 Joel. Know today that God has you in the palm of his hand. As you take time to acknowledge

him throughout the day, he's going to fight your battles and get you to where you're supposed to be. Victoria and I are praying for you and your family every day. Thank you so much for your prayer and support. Your generosity takes this message of hope to people all over the world who need their own moment with God. A special thank you to our Champion of Hope partners. Your monthly support makes a difference every single day. If you're not a partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one. Until next time, may the Lord bless you and keep you.

Be sure to request your copy of Three Minute Moments with God, available this month, by visiting us at Joel Osteen. or call 888-567 Joel. With an additional gift, you can also receive the three-minute promise, Power and Authority Collection, featuring abundance, assurance, and authority. A rich, empowering study drawn from the Passion Translation, it opens up who you already are in Christ, what's already yours and the authority you already carry, because your next moment with God could change everything.

Know who you are. Walk in what's yours. Step into every moment with confidence. You can request these inspiring resources by calling 888-567, Joel, or logging on to joelosteen.com today. Call or click anytime, 24 hours a day.