Joel Osteen Podcast - Purify Yourself | Joel Osteen

Episode Date: January 11, 2026

Don’t let bitterness, guilt or unforgiveness block the blessings God has prepared for you. When you purify your heart, you will see His favor and restoration.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's great to be with you today. And I hope you'll stay connected with us during the week through our daily podcast, our YouTube channel, social media.

And you can come visit us in person. We'd love to have you be a part of one of our services. I like to start with something funny. And I heard about these two men, the Pope and a lawyer. They died on the same day and went to heaven. Peter met them at the gate. Said, follow me. I'll take you to your homes.

Peter dropped the Pope off at this small wood frame house, one bed, one table, nothing to it. He then took the lawyer to this magnificent house. It was huge. He had a big swimming pool, a big backyard. The lawyer was overwhelmed. He said, Peter, tell me. How did I manage to get this spectacular place when the Pope only got a small place?

Peter said, we have dozens of popes, but you're the first lawyer. All right, y'all. It's just a joke. Here we go. 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 purify yourself.

It's easy to go through life carrying things that are poisoning us. Pride, jealousy, and unforgiveness. We don't realize that's contaminating our life. As long as it's there, it's blocking the blessings that belong to us. God has already scheduled times to be good to you, to show your favor, open doors, turn problems around. but we have to be in alignment with him for that to happen. The scripture says,

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. This implies if there are impurities, then you're not going to see God's best. On a regular basis, you need to ask yourself, is there something I'm doing that's keeping me from growing? Am I holding on to bitterness that's blocking my joy? Am I dwelling on doubt, convinced my dream can't come to pass? It's blocking my faith. Or am I running with the wrong

crowd that's polluting my decisions and blocking my destiny? You have to get rid of the blessing blockers. It's not that God is withholding his goodness. Those impurities are keeping you from seeing his goodness. Maybe you went through a disappointment, a door closed, a friend walked away, and you're tempted to live sour and think that life's not fair. Don't let that bitterness block the new things God has in store. If you'll keep that poison out of your spirit, God will make it up to you. Well, you may have made mistakes.

How you believe in those lies that you're not worthy? Nothing good is in your future. It's too late now. That guilt is blocking your blessing. When you ask for forgiveness, God forgave you the first time. He doesn't remember what you did wrong. Why are you remembering what God has forgotten?

why are you dwelling on your failures when you've been forgiven, restored, and washed clean? Try a different approach and purify yourself. See, sometimes we're waiting for God to do something, but God is waiting on us. You have to remove the blessing blockers. When your heart is pure, you will see God's favor, his healing, his restoration. And this is not something we should do once a year, once a quarter, on a day. daily basis, you need to empty out any unforgiveness, doubt, anger. If you'll get in this habit of purifying yourself, then you're in position for God to show himself strong in your life.

After 40 years of wandering in the desert, the Israelites were about to go into the promised land. Moses had died. Now Joshua was in charge. They were camped at the Jordan River needed to get across. The problem was it was swollen over a mile wide. Well, Joshua had seen how God parted the Red Sea for Moses, and he believed God would do that for him. Early one morning, he called everyone together and told them how the next day they were going to follow the priest into the water. The priest would be carrying the Ark of the Covenant.

That represented the presence of God. I'm sure some of the people were worried. Thinking, Joshua, there's a river there. We can't get across. Joshua said in verse 5, purify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders among you. The next day, the Jordan River was going to part. A few days later, the walls of Jericho were going to fall. These were moments of favor God had already planned for them, but there was a requirement, something the people had to do before it could happen. Joshua said,

purify yourself. They had to go through this process of cleansing, and consecration. I could imagine some of them were busy. They were tired. They didn't feel like it, but they didn't see it as an option. They knew if I don't purify myself, I'm not going to be allowed to go. Purification was a requirement. They had to wash their clothes and abstain from intimacy, offer a burnt offering for sins. It was a time of consecration and cleansing that prepared them for what God was about to do. And they had these ceremonial laws back then. Of course, we don't have today, but the principle is still true. If you're going to see the wonders of God, if you're going to step into new levels, you have to purify yourself. The higher you go, the more consecrated you have

to be. For God to release more of his favor, you have to step up to a new level of commitment, focus, discipline. You may not be able to hang around the same friends and see the wonders of God. You may have to adjust how you spend your time, what you're watching, your attitude, your thought line. If you'll come up higher in those areas, you're positioning yourself for God to do greater things.

The next day, after they had purified themselves, the priest walked into the water with everyone following them, just like the Red Sea, it opened up. The people went through on dry ground. They saw the wonders of God. God is saying to us what he said to them, if you will purify yourself, you will see me do amazing things in your life. If you will release the unforgiveness, if you'll be happy for that friend instead of jealous, if you'll bite your tongue and not say hurtful things, if you'll stop believing that you're not enough, not valuable, If you'll get rid of the insecurity, then you will step into favor, good breaks, the wonders that God is already planned for you. And it's significant that Joshua would say, the priests will help purify you.

The leadership will do it. Find a friend to purify you. This is something only you can do. You have to make the choice. I'm going to live a holy consecrated life. I'm going to do the right thing when no one is looking. I'm going to be kind. when I don't feel like it. I'm going to resist the temptation to get angry, to compromise.

If it was up to other people, our destiny would be in their hands. It's up to them to keep us on track, make sure we're disciplined. They have to hold me accountable. That's all good, but you can fool other people. They can't be with you 24 hours a day. They don't know what you're thinking. They don't know what's happening in secret. This is all about self-discipline. self-control. You making the choice to keep your temple pure, to get rid of the toxins, the doubt, the jealousy, the compromise, these things that are keeping you from the favor that God has in store.

Joshua said, tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders. The blessing was already scheduled. Your breakthrough is already on the calendar. Meeting the right person, the healing, the promotion. your promised land, God has already set the time. He's already marked that moment, but before it can happen, you have to purify yourself. Well, if your set time is in two days from now, are you ready? If God has scheduled your Jordan River to part next Friday, are you able to go on the trip? Have you forgiven the person that did you wrong? Have you cleansed yourself from watching things that are polluting you? Have you

broken away from relationships that are pulling you down. Have you deleted those thoughts telling you'll never get well, never be free? Those are toxins that will poison your life. I know some of this is not easy, but God will never ask you to do something and not give you the ability to do it. His grace will be there to empower you. Maybe you tried before. You weren't able. You need to try again. God is breathing on you in a new way. You have the power to resist the temptation, the grace to release the hurt, the discipline to do the right thing.

It may be hard to forgive, but that unforgiveness is blocking your blessing. It's harder to live bitter, to go through life with that poisoning your spirit. It may be difficult to control your temper, bite your tongue, not be argumentative, but it's more difficult to live in mediocrity and miss the great wonders God has for you.

You have to get rid of the blessing blockers. Purity is power. It doesn't mean we're perfect. We all have things we're dealing with, but you're doing your best. You're not accepting mediocrity. You're taking steps daily to empty out the negative, to release the hurt,

or to forgive yourself for mistakes. God sees you doing your part. You're in position to see his favor in greater ways. it's interesting how God designed the body to function. Each day we eat food and get our nutrition. The body takes what's helpful and uses it for energy and growth and new cells. Then every day there's a process of elimination where the waste, toxins, and things that aren't helpful are released from the body. If there's not a daily elimination, you know what happens.

You get constipated. you don't feel good. You don't have energy. You're lethargic. You can be nauseated. All because you're holding on to things that are supposed to be released. I don't want this to be gross, but some people are mentally constipated. They've held on to every hurt, every disappointment, every closed door. Great grandmother said something 40 years ago. They're still upset. Still mad at the boss that left them out. still dwelling on mistakes they made decades back, still reliving the loss, the pain from a breakup. As long as you're holding on to that, it's poisoning you. You're not going to have the energy, the creativity, the joy to become who you were created to be. Do yourself a favor, have an elimination,

purify yourself, release anything negative, the guilt, the hurt, the insecurity. God has great wonders, front of you. He saw what wasn't fair. He saw who hurt you, what didn't work out. He's already scheduled beauty for those ashes. He's already put on your calendar ways to pay you back. They've thrust you ahead where you don't even think about who did you wrong. There are great wonders in your future, but remember the requirement. You have to get rid of the blessing blockers. Just like in the physical, you need to do this on a daily basis. Don't let things build up. The scripture says, don't let the sun go down while you are still angry. Why would God tell us to not let anger last over 24 hours because he doesn't want us to get clogged

up? This is saying, don't go to bed mad at your spouse. Don't get up in the morning with condemnation or jealous of that friend or thinking you're not good enough. Every morning there needs to be a cleansing, a reset where you let go of all. the negative. You forgive people for what they said yesterday. You forgive yourself for not performing perfectly. You set your mind in faith, in hope, discipline, thanking God for the favor on your life. That's purifying yourself. If not, the anger is going to be there one night, then two, then a month, then a year. Now it's a part of who you are. That may be the way it's been, but you don't have to stay that way. You wouldn't be hearing this if God wasn't calling you up higher. He has some great

wonders scheduled for your life. There are some promised lands, some Jordan rivers that are about to part. Like Joshua told the people, tomorrow it's going to happen, you need to get ready. You're about to see God show out in your life. Now, my whole challenge is make sure you're prepared. Don't be left on the shores watching others go into the promised land because you didn't deal with things. You didn't release the toxins. You didn't break away from bad influences. You held onto the hurt. This is a wake-up call. We're not going to be here forever. Life is flying by. We don't have time to miss opportunities. There is greatness in you. God has raised you up to set new standards. Now, be responsible for what he's entrusted you with. Maybe there are things you're

watching, listening to that are contaminating you. Joel, it's no big deal. Everybody does it, but you're not everybody. You're called to stand out in the crowd. Some of these shows on television where people are unfaithful, no morals, backstabbing friends, if you're constantly watching that, those seeds are being planted in you. You're allowing that to take root. They're going to become the same thing. Your destiny is too important. Your assignment too valuable to play around with things that are going to limit you.

The scripture says you are a chosen people set apart and called by God. One version says a peculiar people, not weird, but different. You're supposed to stand out. You're supposed to be the exception. Everyone else is compromising. not you, you've been set apart. When Joel, all my coworkers complain, bad mouth the company,

they all show up late and cut corners. That's fine. You're not responsible for their life, but that's not who you are. You're a cut above. You've been called to live with integrity, honesty, and excellence. When they're complaining,

don't let that poison get in you. Don't join in and add to the problem. Be a part of the solution. Be grateful that you have a job. Lord, I want to thank you that you bless me with this position. They come in late. Be the exception. You get there early.

You do more than you have to. Paul said in 2nd Corinthians, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. God is not looking for the crowd, for what everyone is doing. He's looking for people that will separate themselves, that will live consecrated, holy, excellent. not doing as little as they can to get by

but people who go the extra mile. I like to watch football and the quarterback will get the ball and he'll look out for a receiver, someone he can throw it to. That receiver has a defender, someone on the other team that's covering him, trying not to let him catch the ball. The defender will stay as close as possible,

even bumping against him. The receiver's whole job is to create separation. He's trying to lose the defender to get open, so the quarterback will be able to throw him the ball. The quarterback is ready to pass it. He's standing there waiting. It's up to the receiver to break away, to create space so he can receive that pass. It's the same principle. God is the quarterback.

He's ready to pass you the favor, the healing, the abundance. But you have to do your part and create separation. You have to get away from the crowd, the compromisers, the complainers, the naysayers, the jealous people. If you'll come out from among them and choose to live by a higher standard, then you'll be open, ready to receive the great wonders of our God. A few days before Joshua told the people to purify themselves, he sent spies into Jericho to see what the city was like. And they looked around, got the information they needed.

but before they could leave, word got out that they were there. The police were going everywhere, trying to find them, knocking on door after door. There was a lady that lived there named Rahab. She was a prostitute. She took the spies into her house and hid them. She knew they were Israelites. She told them, we're all afraid of your God. We know he's all powerful and we cannot stand against him.

The authorities came knocking on her door and asked if she'd seen the men. She said, no, they were here earlier, but they left before the city gate shut. You can probably catch them if you'll go chasing after them. The whole time, she had them hidden upstairs underneath the straw on her root. Well, Rahab had lived a life that she wasn't pleased with. She didn't feel valuable. She was looked down on. But when those spies showed up, something came alive on the inside.

She thought, this is not who I am. I wasn't created to live in shame and compromise. She told the spies, I'll hide you, but when you come back to take the city, you have to promise that you'll save me and my family. She was saying, in effect, I believe in your God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When the walls of Jericho fell, all the people were defeated except Rahab and her family. She went with the Israelites into the promised land. She later had children. Her great-grandson was Boaz who married Ruth.

You remember Ruth was David's grandmother. That means that Rahab, this former prostitute is in the family line of Jesus. It all started when she made that decision to purify herself. God is showing us through Rahab that you're never too far gone. You're never too impure, too addicted, too rough, too angry, you can still become who you were created to be. But you have to do like her, make that decision to separate yourself, to get away from bad influences, to quit dwelling on unworthy, not valuable thoughts, to release all the toxins

that are polluting your spirit. It may not be something big like Rahab, but a sour attitude can keep you from your your destiny. Being critical, finding fault all the time, that's poisoning your future. And the Holy Spirit doesn't condemn us, but he will convict us. Condemnation pushes you down, makes you feel bad, but conviction challenges you to come up higher. You feel that uneasiness, that unrest, saying, hey, this jealousy is not who you are. Be happy for them. That's God saying, purify yourself. Don't ignore it. Deal with it. Or you'll hear that still small voice saying, hey, quit being so harsh with your family. Quit letting that co-worker steal your joy every day.

God corrects his children. He's going to challenge you in areas where you may be comfortable. For a season, that was okay, but he's calling you up higher. What was fine five years ago, it's not fine. Now, he's about to do greater wonders. So he's saying, and there has to be a higher level of consecration. Who you used to hang around with, that was okay, but not now, not for where you're about to go. What you used to watch, that season is over. You're stepping into greater things. Now you have to have greater separation.

The ball God is about to throw you is something you've never seen. You're a promised land. Are you prepared? Have you purified yourself? The scripture says in a large house, there are vessels of wood and clay, used for ordinary purposes, and some of silver and gold used for honorable purposes. If any person will cleanse themselves from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel set apart, useful to the master for his highest purposes.

Let's not get stuck being wood and clay. That's fine for a while. we all start off that way, but we should be growing. We should be better this year than we were last year. Not the same bad attitude dragging me down. Not giving into the same temptation. The same guilt clouding my future. The same hurt poisoning my dream.

Those are toxins keeping you from the great wonders God has in store. And again, nobody can do this except you. Purify yourself. Rahab did it after years of compromise. She still reached her destiny. You can too. Are there any areas that you know are limiting you? Maybe things you've grown up with. Now you've accepted today can be the turning point. You're not a vessel of wood, a vessel of clay. I'm looking at vessels of gold used for God's highest purposes, ready for his great wonders. It's already scheduled it. Now do you upon you?

separate yourself, create some more room for God to bless you. I never dreamed I would be up here. God has opened doors and giving me favor and opportunity like I've never imagined. But with that promotion comes opposition. People that don't understand you, try to mischaracterize you. It'd be easy to let that poison get in me where I live defensive and upset, trying to pay people back. I've learned the importance of keeping my heart pure. If your heart gets contaminated, it will affect everything about you, your relationships, your attitude, your vision. That's why the scripture says, guard your heart, for out of it flow the issues of life.

I've learned on a daily basis the importance of a release, a cleansing. Just like with the physical, you have to eliminate any worry, any guilt, any guilt, any of compromise, let all that go so you can keep your heart pure, so you can enjoy the day, love your family, and pursue your dreams. While back, I was at the hospital in the lobby at the medical center, and this couple came up, and the husband asked if I would go pray for his father. He'd had surgery and was recovering very slowly, and I told him I would. And we walked a long way across the street, to a different wing, finally arrived at his hospital door. They said, we'll stay out here, you just go in and surprise him.

I thought, I don't know about that. I'm going to walk in on this man I've never met. They said, oh, come on, he'll love it. I went in, he's about 75 years old. He didn't say a word. He just looked at me as unexcited as could be. I started encouraging him, telling him that God is our healer, and he's going to come out.

Then I prayed a strong prayer, declared faith and healing. When I finished, I leaned over and gave him a hug and walked out of the room. His children said, what did he do? I said, he just laid there and looked at me. They said, oh, that's great, because he doesn't like you. He always makes fun of us when we watch you. I thought if I'd known that, I'd pray something different. God take the old goat home, but what am I saying?

On a daily basis, you have to release the offense. Release what someone said. Y'all still laughing, aren't you? I wasn't laughing? I was embarrassed, but anyway. Release the jealousy. Don't let the sun go down without an elimination. Purifying yourself of any toxins, things you know are going to weigh you down.

Listen, God is the quarterback. He has the favor, the increase, the opportunities, but he's looking for separation. He's looking for those that will come out from among them. Not that fit in. That's wood and clay. That's not who you are. You're a vessel of gold. You have greatness in you.

God has his amazing wonders already on your schedule. Now do your part and purify yourself. If you'll do this, I believe and declare, like Joshua, Jordan Rivers are about to part for you. Doors open and you couldn't open. Like Rahab, restoration, honor, influence, levels that you never saw coming in Jesus' name. And if you receive it, can you say amen? 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 repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make you, my Lord and Savior. If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. We love to send you some free information on your new walk with the Lord. You can text the number on the screen or go to the website. But I hope you'll get into a good Bible-based church and keep God. first place. It's a new year. Time to see the impossible 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, where 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.

2. Reflect on the Daily Scripture Verse and Devotional from Joel. 3. 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 Cowsman. calendar available this month by simply visiting us at joelosteen.com or calling 888-567 joel 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, and timely 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.