Joel Osteen Podcast - Praying Bold Prayers | Joel Osteen

Episode Date: January 30, 2026

God’s dream for you life is so much bigger than your own. If we are going to see His favor we have to learn to pray bold prayers. Make God’s Word your priority this year with our 2026 Today’s Word Daily Devotional. Filled with Scripture, encouragement, and prayers, our January offer will help you stay rooted in the truth and strength of God’s promises.https://bit.ly/3KT1zAm 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 is always our joy to come into your homes. We love you. We know God has great things in store.

He rewards people that seek after him. And I believe that's you and you here as well. And if you're ever in our area, come by and see us. I promise you, we'll make you feel right. at home, but thanks for tuning in today. I like to start with something funny each week, and I heard about this 85-year-old man. He was out fishing one day, and he heard this voice saying, pick me up. He looked around, didn't see anybody, thought he was dreaming. He heard it again, pick me up. He looked down and saw a frog. In amazement, he said, are you talking to me? The frog said,

yes, pick me up and kiss me, and I'll become a beautiful bride. He quickly picked the frog up and put him in his front pocket. The frog said, what are you doing? I said, kiss me and I'll become a bride. The man looked at him and said, no thanks. At my age, I'd rather have a talking frog. Hold up your Bible. 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 praying bold prayers. God's dream for your life is so much bigger than your own. He wants to do extraordinary things. And if we're going to see his favor, we have to learn to pray bold prayers.

A lot of times we think we're not supposed to ask for too much. After all, we don't want to be greedy. We don't want to be selfish. I have people tell me, Joel, if God wants me to be blessed, he'll bless me, he's God. But that's not the way it works. God expects us to ask. The scripture says, you have not because you ask not.

And if you're not asking for God's favor, his blessings, his increase, then you're not releasing your faith. And I know people that ask, but they pray such small prayers. God, if you'll just give me a 50-cent raise, you better be careful. that's probably what you're going to get. Is that really what you want? God, I changed my mind. Give me that $20 raise. That's more like it.

God, if you just help my marriage survive, God, if you'll just help me to make ends meet this month, if you'll just help my child to stay in school, no, you've got to be bolder than that. Dare to pray. God, I'm asking, not to just supply my needs, but that I'll have plenty left over so I can be a blessing to others.

God, I'm asking that my marriage not just survive, but that we would be happier and more fulfilled than ever before. God, I'm asking that my child not just stay in school and barely graduate. God, you said my children would be mighty in the land. So I'm asking that he would excel, that he would become a leader and fulfill his God-given destiny. Jesus put it this way, according to your faith, it will be done unto you. That means if you pray little, you're going to receive little. But if you can learn to pray bold prayers and big prayers and expect big and believe big, that allows God to do big things in your life. And some of you have a dream deep down on the inside, but you've never asked God for it. You pray for everyone else,

but you need to start asking God for what he's put in you. It's not wrong to ask. It's not selfish to ask. God expects us to ask. In fact, the scripture says in Psalm 2, verse 8, ask of me and I will give you the nations. God is saying, ask me for big things. Ask me for those hidden dreams that I planted in your heart. Ask me for those unborn promises that in the natural don't look like it's ever going to happen. Ask me for that family member to be restored, even though you haven't spoken to them in years. and in your quiet time, when it's just between you and God, dare to ask him for your deepest hopes, your deepest dreams. It may seem impossible, but just be honest.

And say, God, I don't see how this could ever happen, but I have a dream to start my own business. God, I'm asking for you to help. Or God, I'd love to go back to college, but I don't have the time. I don't have the money. God, I'm asking you to make a way. Dare to ask God for your greatest dreams, your greatest desires. Some of you today, you're settling for a lesser dream. Deep down, you have a desire

to maybe write a book, a desire to get married, start a family, a desire to break an addiction, but it's been so long and you've been through so many disappointments, you don't see how it could ever happen. Now you've lost your enthusiasm, and you're praying what I call these survival prayers. God helped me to make it through the day. God helped me to put up with these children. and God helped me to deal with the boss. God helped me to not run over anybody when I leave in traffic today. No, you've got to get your fire back

and start asking God once again for the dreams and desires you've let go of. He can still bring them to pass. When you ask, you're releasing your faith. The scripture says in Ephesians, God wants to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think. My question to you today is, are you asking

and if so, are you asking for enough? Are you putting your faith out there so it's activating God's power? Or are you just praying these barely get by prayers? I hear people say, I don't want to bother God. He's got bigger things to deal with in me. No, this may surprise you, but you are God's biggest deal. You are the apple of his eye.

You are his most prized possession. He's longing to be good to you. And I want you to have this new sense of boldness to where you'll dare start asking God for bigger things. I can imagine in heaven there's a huge warehouse filled with all these storerooms. As you walk down the halls, you see door after door with different names on them, thousands and thousands of doors. You finally come to a door with your name. That gets your attention. You quickly stop and say to St. Peter, what's in there?

He tries to downplay it all. and you don't want to go in there. Sure I do. It's got my name on it. After debating for a few minutes, you finally convince him to let you go in and Peter opens the door. And in this room, you see row after row of boxes up on a shelf. You hurry over there to open one up. And when you do, you quickly realize these are blessings that belong to you that have never been released. Here's a box of favor God wanted me to have last week, but I never ask. Here's a good break God wanted me to have last month, but I forgot to ask. Here's that book I always wanted to write, but I gave up on it.

Here's the business I wanted to start. Here's the healing that belonged to me. Row after row of blessings, favor, good breaks, good ideas. They all belong to you, but God never released them because you never ask. I don't know about you, but I want to make sure that my warehouse is completely empty. I don't want to be greedy. I don't want to be selfish. I simply want all that belongs to me. I want to become everything God's created me to be, and I want to have everything God's intended for me to have. Some of you pastors watching, there's another compact center in your warehouse. Don't give up on that facility that you're hoping for.

Keep asking. Keep believing for big things. Some of you, there's a business in your warehouse. The good news, Is this not too late? God can still bring it to pass. Some of you, there's a promotion. Some of you single people, there's a husband or a wife in your warehouse. Now I know I've got your attention. I see one guy. He's already asking. Think of it this way. What if God had five blessings in store for you last week? A good break, a good idea, the right person coming across your path on and on. But the problem is you never ask. Those blessings, so to speak, go up in your warehouse. And some of you are so kind-hearted and generous. You would do anything for your family and friends. You're always praying for others, but you never take time to

ask God for your dreams, for your desires. Of course, it's good to help others. But every morning, after you thank God for what he's done, after you thank him for his goodness in your life, you should get in a habit of saying, God, I'm asking for your favor today. I'm asking for your favor today. I I'm asking for supernatural opportunities. God, that you'd bring every dream, every desire that you would bring that to fulfillment. Dare to ask for big things. Some of you have never once said, God, I'm asking you to help me own my own home free and clear without a monthly payment. If we're not careful, our mind goes tilt, tilt, tilt, Joel, I'll never pay my house.

It's going to take me 30 years. No, you're praying too small. You need to get a bigger vision. God, I'm asking that I'd totally be out of debt, my home, my car, my business, my credit cards. We should pray things that stretch our faith. If you can accomplish all your dreams in your own strength, you don't really need God's help. You need to ask for things that are so big you know it's going to take God's blessings. It's going to take His favor to bring it to pass.

Pray things like God, help me to not only own my own home, but God, one day I'd love to be able to buy someone else a new home. Tilt, tilt, tilt, Joel, that's impossible. Do you know where I work? If you believe all things are possible. Or how about this? God, I'm asking that you would help me to give away each year more than my whole income is right now. Well, Joel, you're kind of far out today. Listen, we serve a far out God. One touch of his favor can take you to a new level. God is longing to be good to you, but you've got to be bold enough to ask for his goodness. And I'm not talking about being selfish. I'm not talking about living me-minded. If all you ever ask for is yourself, that's out of balance. But I know people that have the attitude, my needs are

supplied. I'm blessed, Joel. I don't want to bother God by asking him for anything else for me or my family. But really, that's selfish. You're not supposed to just have your needs supplied. why don't you start asking for others, that God will bless you in such a way that you can support the orphanages, that you can build clinics in needy countries, or that you can help that single parent mom that lives down the street from you. When our needs are supplied, we don't stop there. We've got to keep stretching so we can be a blessing to others. Are you praying any bold prayers? I know a young man that grew up in Africa, in the Congo, one of the poorest nations. He was one of seven children, not only his, family, but his relatives and cousins all lived in this same small home. And in their village, there was so much sickness, so much disease. But there was no place for the people to get cared for. No hospital, no clinic within hundreds of miles. The people were dying from things

that were so easily treatable. And as a young boy, his heart was stirred. He couldn't stand seeing the suffering and sadness of his people. God put a dream on the inside that one day, somehow, some way, he would be able to help build a hospital in that little village. But how could that be possible? He was just as poor and underprivileged as the other ones. He didn't have the right connections. He didn't have any money. But there was something different about this young man. He knew how to pray bold prayers. Even as a little boy, he said, God help me to help my people. God give me a way to bring this dream to pass. something happened. He started growing and growing and growing six feet, six feet five, six feet

ten, seven feet, seven feet two inches. He got so tall, he started playing basketball on the little village dirt courts. He eventually graduated from the local school and somehow he got an academic scholarship to Georgetown University. That was unheard of, a supernatural break. He went there to study medicine so he could come back and help his people. But during his second year, the basketball coach noticed him and asked him to try out for the team. He not only made the team, but he became a star player. Later, he got drafted to play in the professional basketball league. Today, Dekimbe Matumbo is one of the great players of our time. In fact, he still plays for the Houston Rockets. I've seen him at our services from time to time. But here's what's interesting. Several years ago, Matumbo donated $15 million

to help build that hospital. And in July of 2007, he and some other players went to the dedication of the new $29 million hospital there in his village in the Congo. Friends, God has a way to bring your dreams to pass. If you'll dare be bold enough to ask, if God did it for him, He can do it for you. What is it that God has put in your heart? Are you asking? Are you believing? Are you stretching your faith?

Well, Joel, I've had some bad breaks. I come from the wrong family. I'm not that talented. No, with that kind of attitude, your warehouse is getting a little bit fuller. That's another box up on that shelf. I'm trying to talk you in today to not only believe in for your future blessings,

but to get stirred up enough to where you'll go back and get some some of those unclaimed blessings that you let pass by, dreams that you've given up on, promises that you thought would never come to pass. The good news is they still have your name on it. They still belong to you. Why don't you start asking God for bigger things? I know back in 2004, when I wrote my first book, I didn't really know what to expect. I asked the publisher how many copies it needed to sell to become a success, but they wouldn't give me a number. And one of my dreams is that it would make the New York Times bestseller list.

And I didn't tell it to anybody, just between me and God. I said, God, I'm praying and just asking that you'd give me favor and let this book make the list. Just at least one week, God. I put my faith out there. I didn't know. I'd never written a book. My father had written 50 or 60 books, and they're all great, but none of them made the list.

And so this was a real stretch for me. And one day, not long after that, I got a call from our publisher. He said, Joel, I got good news. Your book is going to be on the New York Times bestseller list this week. And, of course, I was excited and thanking God. Another dream came true. But here's the way God is. When you release your faith, when you dare to pray bold prayers,

God likes to do more than you can imagine. The book made the list not only that week, but the next week. And the next and the next, 100 weeks in a row. And over four or five million books later, it's still going strong. If you will ask, God will top what you ask. He wants to do exceedingly abundantly more. It's interesting my second book came out not long ago, a few months back, and everybody told me the second book will never do as good as the first book.

They didn't want me to get my hopes up. One company gave me past examples between a first book and a second book, and many times it was barely even half. And I don't know, that just didn't set well with me. I'm either bold enough or dumb enough to believe that. that God wants us to increase. He wants you to be more blessed this year than you were last year. He wants you to have more influence, to be healthier. You have not seen your greatest victories yet, but you've got to be bold enough to ask. And you can't let people talk you out of it.

Don't listen to all the naysayers. And so I simply started saying, God, I'm asking that this second book will help more people than the first book. God, let it make a bigger difference. I've got a report the other day that showed how this second book in its first 10 weeks sold at a rate of three times what my first book had sold at. And I'm not, I don't say that to brag on me, but rather to make the point, I don't know if that would have happened if I had not released my faith. That could have been just another box up on that unclaimed blessing shelf. I'm asking you today to pray big prayers, stir up your dreams and desires, stir up your dreams and

desires. God has so many great things in your future dare to ask him. I think about a man in the Old Testament by the name of J. Bez. His name literally meant pain, suffering, trouble, and heartache. Back in those days, a person's name was much more significant than today. In a fact, their name could indicate what kind of character they would have. It could even predict what kind of future that person would live. For instance, the name Jacob literally means deceiver. And if you study the Bible, you'll find that Jacob in his life, he became just what he was named. He cheated and deceived people. The name Joshua means savior. Every time someone said Joshua, I'm sure courage and hope must have filled his heart, knowing that he was called to help deliver God's people. Well, knowing that,

think about how Jabez must have felt. Every time someone said, hey, J. Bez, they were saying, hey trouble, hey sorrow, hey pain. They were prophesying more defeat and failure. We don't know why Jabe's parents named him this. Maybe it was because the father abandoned the mother. She was so hurt and so angry, she named him that. Maybe it's because during the pregnancy was difficult or during the childbirth. There was so much pain. She just named him pain, heartache, trouble. You can imagine what J. Bez had to put up with in school. Those children probably gave

him a hard time. Hey, J. Bez, here comes trouble. What's up with you, man? Why would your parents name you that? That could have easily set the limits for his life. Could have affected his self-image, made him go around insecure and inferior. But the scripture says

that J-Bez was more honorable than any of his family. It doesn't tell us much about him except one little prayer that he prayed. But by this prayer, we can see there was something special about J.Bes. In spite of his rough upbringing, in spite of his self-image constantly being attacked, J-Bez looked up to the heavens and said, God, I'm asking that you would bless me indeed. Think of the nerve of that prayer. He was saying, God, I've had a lot of things come against me.

Life hasn't treated me fair. I've gotten off to a rough start. But God, I know, I know. know you're a good God. I know you've got a great plan for my life. So I'm asking you to bless me indeed. Notice that word indeed. It's significant. He wasn't saying, God, I'm asking you to bless me a little bit. Bless me average. Bless me ordinary. No, he said, God, I'm asking for abundance. I'm asking for overflow. Bless me indeed. Do you see his boldness? I mean, what right did he have to pray that prayer. He was supposed to be destined for heartache, pain, trouble. He was supposed to live, defeated, and depressed. But old J. Bez shook off that defeated mentality. He said, in effect, it doesn't matter what someone is named me. It doesn't matter what it looks like in the natural.

I know who I am. I'm a child of the most high God, and my destiny is to be blessed. I am a victor and not a victim. He went on to say, not only bless me, but God. He went on to say, not only bless me, but God enlarge my territory. He was saying, God, go beyond the norm. Go beyond my borders. Give me extraordinary favor. God, let me see abundance in my life. The last thing we hear from this man named Jabez is found at the end of verse 10. Surely God would say, Jabez, would you quit bothering me? Do you know what your name means? You're not going to be blessed. Your own parents said you're headed for trouble and heartache. No, it simply says, and God granted him. him his request. That's the kind of God we serve. If you pray bold prayers, God will do bold things

in your life. Some of you, like J-Bez, have gotten off to a rough start. Life hasn't treated you fair. You've had some setbacks. But if J-Bez were here today, he would tell you, don't settle where you are. If you'll dare ask, God will bless you indeed. The Psalmist David was here. He would say, God can lift you out of that low place. He can put a new song in your heart. He can put a spring back in your step. He can set you on high. You've got to get your fire back.

Some of you have made mistakes and poor choices. You feel like you're washed up and you're supposed to just endure life. But God is saying, if you'll ask, I'll give you a new beginning. If you'll ask, I'll give you a fresh new start. Or maybe you've been hurt in a relationship. somebody did you wrong and it didn't work out. Now you think that you'll never really be happy. Why don't you be bold like J-Bez? And say, God, I know it looks like it's over. It looks like my best days are behind me. But God, I believe when one door closes, you always open up another door. So God, I'm asking for you to bring somebody great into my life, the right person for me.

No matter what's come against you, if you'll be bold enough to ask, the rest of your life, can be better than the first part. When we get up each day and say like J.B. God bless me indeed. Enlarge my territory. We're getting our mind going in the right direction. We're saying in effect, God, I know you love me. I know you've got good things in store. So I'm asking today for your favor, for your increase, for your blessings in my life. That's not being selfish. That's showing God that you're depending on him. And some of you are asking God to bless you, but you need to add the indeed.

In other words, you need to get a bigger vision. God, I'm asking you to bless me in unusual ways. Not average, not ordinary, God, I'm asking for supernatural increase. I pray every day for God's unprecedented favor. That's favor like we've never seen before. Now I've learned, don't pray small prayers. That sets the limits.

you may be living in a little apartment today. But deep down, something on the inside says, I'm made for more than this. I'm supposed to own my own home. Dare to ask. Maybe you're struggling in your health, and you could easily learn to live with it, but down in here something says,

I'm supposed to be well. I'm supposed to be free from this pain. Dare to ask. Or maybe you're working at a certain company. You got a good job. But in your heart of hearts, you know one day, you're supposed to own your own business.

Don't settle where you are. Every day, just say, Father, I'm asking for supernatural opportunities. God give me ways to bring this dream to pass. It may not happen overnight, but stay in faith. One scripture says to ask and keep on asking.

Knock and keep on knocking. If we have to ask for 20 or 30 years we should keep asking, keep believing, keep hoping on in faith. I love the story of a friend of mine. his mother became pregnant with him at 17. She was white, the father was black. This was in Iowa in the early 1970s. The parents of this teenage girl strongly encouraged her to have an abortion. In fact, they gave her an ultimatum, either abort the baby or be kicked out of our home.

She chose to have the little baby. She ended up in San Diego, eight months pregnant, alone and confused, battling a drug addiction. One day on the street, a lady talked to her about God's love and forgiveness. And that day, she made a decision for Christ. The lady gave her a Bible. And that young lady, as she was flipping through it, saw the name Israel time and time again. She thought to herself, I'm going to name my baby Israel. She didn't know much about God. She didn't know how to pray, but she said in effect, God, I'm committing my little baby to you. I'm asking you to use him to do great things. That little boy grew up with an incredible musical gift. He could play practically any instrument. He could write songs. He could

arrange music. As he got older, he began writing worship songs and songs that declare God's goodness. He started his own band and supernatural doors begin to open. Today, we all know him and love him, but Israel Houghton is one of the great worship leaders, great songwriters of our time. In fact, Israel just won not his first Grammy, but his second Grammy Award. That's what happens when you pray bold prayers. You think about it, Israel could have become a statistic. He could have just floundered around, never found his purpose, but I believe because this mother dared pray a bold prayer, it helped set the course for his life. Friends, God wants to bless you indeed.

He wants to enlarge your territory. My question today is, will you be bold enough to ask? Every morning, ask for more influence. Ask God to help you be a bigger blessing. Ask him to bring your dreams and desires to pass. That's not being selfish. We have not because you ask not. Don't let another one of your blessings go up to that storeroom.

In fact, make a decision with me that you're going to go back and get everything that belongs to you, the dreams you've given up on, the promises you've let go of. Why don't you start asking once again? If you'll learn to pray these bold prayers and ask God for big things, that's your faith being released.

And that's when God will pour out his blessings in favor. You'll rise higher and higher. And I believe and declare you'll see every dream, every desire, come to pass. Amen. Do you receive it today? We never like to close our broadcast.

without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus. I 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. He's going to take your places that you've never dreamed of. It's a new year. Time to see the important. Possible, become possible. It's a new year. Life setbacks are about to become God's set-ups for new opportunity.

It's a new year. Cherished dreams will become unexpected reality. The start of the new year is the perfect time to reset your focus, release disappointments of the past, and get ready for the new things God has in store. Every January, we create a new 365-day devotional calendar. I'd love to send it to you. each day is filled with inspiration, scripture, and uplifting declarations to fuel your faith.

When you begin the day thanking God for what He's done and speaking victory over your future, you're positioning yourself for a blessed favor-filled year. Amazing things happen when you keep God first place. As our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount this first month of the year, we would like to send you a copy of our brand new 365 Day 2026, devotional calendar. Do you want to overcome your most pressing challenges in 2026? Do you want to see your life take off in new directions of influence, favor, and provision in the year ahead? With this daily encouragement, you'll not only smile at your day, you'll be reminded that God is smiling on your

entire life. Each day will be a fresh new day. Turn discouragement to encouragement, frustration, to fulfillment, anxiety to overcoming. Start each morning knowing that it's God's desire to turn what seems like an ordinary life into extraordinary favor, strength, and opportunities. Using this devotional calendar is as easy as one, two, three. One, wake up with an expectancy in your heart. Two, reflect on the daily scripture verse

and devotional from Joel. Three, capture the Lord's promises to you on journaling lines for writing and reflection. 2026 is going to be one of your best years ever. We're going to help you stay in faith so you can see the goodness of God in new ways. Victoria and I pray for you and your family every day. We want to thank you for your prayer and support. Your generosity is impacting lives around the world. A 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, live every Sunday morning, download our daily podcast, watch on YouTube, or the new Joel Osteen Network 24 hours a day. Of course, listen live on Sirius XM as well. But until we meet again, may the Lord bless you and keep you. Be sure to request your copy of the 2026 devotional calendar, available this month by simply visiting us at Joel O'Ste's.

stein.com or calling 888-567 joy. Also, no matter what season you're in, joy, sorrow, waiting, growth. God wants to speak into each and every moment. God's word for every season is a guided journal series designed to help you slow down, write out scripture, and reflect on its truth, one verse at a time. As you engage with His Word, you'll discover fresh strength, deeper peace, encouragement for every step of your journey. 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. Request these resources today.