Joel Osteen Podcast - Set Your Mind | Joel Osteen

Episode Date: April 19, 2026

Your thoughts set the direction for your life. Choose thoughts of faith and expect the goodness of God. Take back what life tried to steal. Rediscovering the Forgotten You will help you reignite your passion and step confidently into the life God created you to live. Request our April offer and rediscover your dreams today! https://bit.ly/4aCX4D0   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. God bless you. It's great to be with you today. And I hope you'll stay connected with us during the week to 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 this pastor. He'd been out in the woods bear hunting all day long, searched and searched, but no sign of a bear. And finally, in frustration, he threw his gun down, and he went to the stream to cool off. And about that time, he saw this huge grizzly bear, about 100 yards away, coming toward him full speed ahead. He fell down on his knees and said, God, please, convert this bear into a Christian. miraculously the bear froze in his tracks and put both pauls up in the air and said, Lord, thank you for this food that I'm about to eat. All right, y'all 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, God, bless you. I want to talk to you today about set your mind. When you wake up in the morning, all kinds of thoughts can come to your mind, depending on what's happening in your life, what day of the week it is, and what's going right, what's going wrong. The mind will naturally gravitate toward the negative, tell you here's something to worry about, here's something to be frustrated over, here's a reason to be sad, a reason to be offended. We can't stop

these thoughts from coming, but here's the key. Nobody can force you to think them. You don't have to dwell on those thoughts. You can choose to dismiss them and not pay any attention. You have complete control over your thought line. And it's so important that you be selective because your life is going to follow your thoughts. What you think about is setting your direction, impacting your mood, determining your attitude. Thoughts create feelings. You think sad thoughts, you're going to feel sad. You think can't do it. I'm not talented.

I'm at a disadvantage. You're going to feel inferior, not good enough. But if you think positive, faith-filled thoughts, you're going to feel positive and hopeful. If you're grateful, you think this is going to be a good day. Lord, thank you that I'm alive and that I have family to love, a job to go to, that I'm healthy and strong. Then you're going to have energy.

good attitude, and you're going to attract good breaks. Your mind is like a magnet. It draws in what you're thinking about. When you wake up in the morning, if you start thinking, man, I don't want to go to work today, and I don't feel like dealing with these kids, and I'm never going to get past this sickness. It's going to be a lousy day. Just imagine you're sending an invitation to everything you're dwelling on. Lousy day, I'd like to personally invite you.

discouragement, sickness, hard time, please come see me today. No, quit inviting the wrong things. When those thoughts come, do yourself a favor. Dismiss them. Don't give them the time a day. You get to choose what takes up space in your mind. Instead of inviting negative, discouraging, can't do it thoughts. How about inviting faith, inviting hope, inviting the goodness of God? This is what David did. he woke up in the morning and said, this is the day the Lord has made. I'm going to rejoice and be glad in it. Another place, he said, surely goodness and mercy will follow me. When he faced Goliath, a giant twice his size, he said, I will defeat you and feed your head to the birds of the air. No wonder he had faith and confidence, God's favor. His mind was going in the right direction.

He was careful about what he invited. And sure, he had thoughts of doubt and worry. David, that giant's too big. You've got too many problems. He had to do what we all have to do. He dismissed it. I'm not dwelling on that. I know my God is bigger.

I know I am well able. Pay attention to what you're inviting. You can't defeat and have victory. You can't go through the day worried and stay in peace. You can't dwell on who hurt you and who did you wrong. and see the beauty for ashes and God pay you back for what was unfair. Are you inviting the right things? Is your mind going in the right direction?

Paul said in Colossians 3, set your mind on higher things and keep it set. Every morning you have to set your mind. It's a choice we have to make, positive. This is going to be a great day. Hopeful. God, I know you have good things in store. Grateful. I'm blessed to be alive. I'm going to enjoy this day. This doesn't happen automatically. If you don't set your mind, other things will set it for you. Your feelings will set it. Circumstances can set it. Other people will set it or the enemy will set it. An unset mind is like an unlocked house. Anyone can come in. Imagine waking up in the morning. You see a stranger in your kitchen pouring a cup of coffee.

You look over and somebody's sitting on your couch watching your television. Then someone walks by wearing your clothes, carrying your purse. You wouldn't think, oh, that's too bad. They're taking my stuff, invading my privacy. No, number one, you'd throw them out. And number two, you would start locking your door. You would make sure that it was deadbolted so no strangers could get in. The mind is the same way.

If you're not setting your mind, you're leaving the door unlocked. You're saying by inaction, fear, you're welcome here. Doubt, come on in. Worry, insecurity, make yourself at home. No, start locking your door. Start setting your mind. This is not an option. It's a necessity.

Your mind is your control center. Your thinking runs your life, your attitude, your mood, your vision. If the enemy can control your thoughts, he can control your life. if you let circumstances set your mind or other people, how you feel, it's going to limit your destiny. When David said, this is the day the Lord has made, he was in a difficult place. He had enemies chasing him. People were slandering his name. Family had turned on him. His mood would have been sour, discouraged. Why is this happening? But he didn't let that determine his thinking. He overrode all the lower things. He overrode all the lower things, fear, discouragement, offense, and he set his mind on higher things. Faith, his purpose, the promises of God. This is something we need to do on a daily basis. Just like we brush our teeth,

we comb our hair, we also set our mind. We get an agreement with who God says we are to higher things. That's why every service we make that declaration, I am blessed, I am strong, healthy, talented, victorious, a masterpiece. That's not just being positive. That's setting your mind. That's locking out the fear, the worry, the doubt. Nothing good is in my future. Oh, sorry, you're too late.

My mind is already set. My path is getting brighter and brighter. I haven't seen, heard, or imagine what God has in store. If you're dealing with an illness, those thoughts will come. What if you don't get well? What if you're not able to go to work? How are you going to pay your bill? those thoughts will come to see if your door is unlocked. Did they set it? Did they put the deadbolt in? Or is it

unset? You could be worried. Go through the day, discourage. No, your attitude, Lord, I thank you that you're restoring health back into me. That healing, wholeness, vitality is on the way. That's how you keep your mind set. You're dwelling on the higher things, what God promised you. Or maybe you have a child that's off course, sir. You went through a breakup. A business is struggling. Thoughts will tell you all the worst case scenarios. You'll always be lonelier. That child will never do what's right. There are no good options for you. There's a battle taken place in our thinking. And first Peter says to gird up the loins of your mind. It's interesting that it uses loins concerning guarding your mind. Loins have to do with reproduction with what you give birth to. Your mind is like a womb. It will produce what you're

thinking about. That's why you have to gird up the loins of your mind. Well, the scripture says that Satan is a liar and the father of all lies. If he's the father, he has no power unless he can find a womb. He needs somewhere to plant his lies so they will grow and eventually be given birth to. Your mind, your womb is no place for the enemy's lives. To think that we would give our most valuable space to become a breeding ground for doubt, fear, worry, to incubate, to grow, to give birth. No thanks. Your womb was created for the promises of God.

Your mind is a breeding ground for faith, for victory, for abundance. You need to keep this perspective. When the negative thoughts come, the worries, the what-is, the what-is, the you. You've seen your best days. Those are not just harmless thoughts. Those are seeds looking for a womb that's open, that's ready, so it can reproduce. We all have something in our womb, something we're dwelling on. Is what you're incubating, what you want to give birth to?

If you gave birth to what you're thinking about, is it something you're going to be happy with? If not, you need to reset your mind. You need to uproot all those negative seeds. Your womb was never meant to incubate the enemy's lives. You're too old. You made too many mistakes. You can't break the addiction. You'll never meet the right person.

Recognize what's happening. That's the enemy trying to plant his seeds in your womb. You need to tell him, you have the wrong person. I am God's property. I belong to the most high. My womb only accepts the higher things. The promises of God. God, what He's declared over my life. If you have a bad break and a door closes, those thoughts will come.

Man, it's all downhill from here. Get discouraged, be bitter, give up on those dreams. That's the lower things. That's the enemy trying to use your womb to bring about his lives. Try a different approach to higher things. Father, you said that all things are working together for my good. I may not understand this, but God, I trust you. I know something better is coming. Perhaps you had a setback in your finances. You lost a client. It's easy to worry. Let all the negative thoughts play. No, don't leave your mind unset.

Don't leave the door unlocked. When worry knocks, no thanks. You're not welcome here. Father, you said, I will lend and not borrow. Lord, I thank you that you're supplying all of my needs, that I live under the open windows of heaven. this is what I had to do when my dad went to be with the Lord back in 1999. I knew I was supposed to step up and pastor the church, but all these negative thoughts filled my mind.

Joel, you're not a minister. You don't have the training. You don't have a big personality like your father. Nobody's going to listen to you. Those were seeds trying to incubate in my womb. It was the father of lies trying to deceive me into giving birth to what would stop my purpose. And I felt fear, I felt insecure, I felt unqualified, but by the grace of God, I didn't let my feelings set my mind. Other people said that I couldn't do it, that I wasn't good enough.

I didn't let them set my mind. The enemy kept whispering that can't do it thoughts. I didn't let him set my mind. I went back to what God says about me, who he says I am. I set my mind on the higher things. I can do all things through Christ. Father, thank you that I'm strong in the Lord, equipped, empowered, anointed. Those are the seeds I let incubate in my womb.

Had I let the enemy's lives grow and get stronger, I wouldn't be up here today. You're going to give birth to what you're dwelling on. Is it what you want? Are you setting your mind each day, girding up the loins of your mind? That means being selective what you're dwelling on? Or have you let the door unlocked? worry, doubt, can't do it, is now breeding in your womb. The good news is, it's not too late. You can reset your mind today. You can empty out all the negative and start dwelling on the higher things. Why don't you

let some new seeds get planted in your womb? See, God is your heavenly father. His plans for you are for good, to prosper you, to heal you, to fill you with joy, bring great relationships. Then there's the father of lies. The scripture says he's here to still, kill, and destroy. You get to choose which father you listen to. Mark chapter 5, there was a woman that had a bleeding disorder. She'd been sick for 12 years and she'd gone to the best doctors and spent all of her funds, but continued to get worse. When we've been doing the right thing a long time and not see an improvement, it's easy to get discouraged. The never lies come. You never. You never. going to get well, never see your business take off, never be free from that addiction.

This lady was physically weak from all the bleeding, and emotionally she was drained. She was considered unclean. She was not supposed to be around people, but one day she heard that Jesus was passing through her city, and she'd heard about the miracles he had performed and how he'd healed a crippled man and cleansed the leper and calmed the storm. Something said to her, you can be healed too. This is your moment. Faith began to rise in her heart. She felt this hope, this expectancy that said, if you can get to Jesus, you will be made home. There was a shift that day. Something happened in her mind. For years, she had been discouraged, worried. Thoughts told her it'll never change. All her circumstances said, it's too late. You've run out of options. Her feelings told her,

you're too tired, just stay home. But this day, a new fire was lit on the inside. She didn't let her history set her mind. She didn't let her feelings set her mind. Other people's opinions. She made the decision, I'm going to set my mind on higher things. If I can touch the edge of his robe, I know I will be healed. There were so many people trying to see Jesus.

She had to push her way through the crowd. Excuse me, I need to get through. pardon me scoot over a little i got to see him the scripture says she kept saying to herself when i touch him i will be healed look at her new mindset after years of believing it's not going to happen i've run out of options now her mindset is i will be healed not i hope so maybe something will happen what's it going hurt for trying. No, she had her mindset. Healing is coming. Breakthrough is coming. Victory is coming.

Something new was incubating in her womb. What God had promised her, that seed was growing. As Jesus passed by, at the last moment, she reached out, touched the edge of his robe, and instantly she was healed. Jesus said to her

daughter, your faith has made you whole. But maybe like her, you've had delays, disappointments. Now you've doubt convince you that you can't accomplish your dream or you can't overcome this problem. God has you hearing this so you can reset your mind. That's where the battle is taking place. This lady's circumstances didn't change until she changed her mind. If you will set your mind on the higher things, then God will do what you can't do. He'll open the doors. He'll bring the healing.

He'll turn situations around. But here's the whole key. He needs a wound to work through. He needs a mind that will receive the seed and that will believe the promises. When nothing is improving, you don't see how it can work out, do like she did. Lord, I want to thank you that healing is coming. Thank you that my business will flourish, that my children will excel. I may not see a way, but I walk by faith and not by sight. I know that you have a way.

See, your mind is like a thermostat. you have to set it. What temperature do you want it to be? Sometimes we operate more like a thermometer. A thermometer measures the temperature, adapts to the environment. A thermostat sets the temperature and changes the environment. But we wake up in the morning and feeling sour. If we have a thermometer mentality, we accept the conditions. We're in a bad mood, go around discouraged. Someone's rude at the office. we're rude back to them. We get caught in traffic. We're stressed.

Child doesn't do what's right. We're upset. Living as a thermometer, letting condition set your mind, is going to make life a roller coaster. You can't control all those things. Why don't you start setting your mind? Make that decision every morning

that you're going to be positive, hopeful, and grateful. When you decide ahead of time, you can enjoy the day despite what doesn't work out. when your mind is set, you don't let people steal your joy or delays cause you to be sour. You know God is on the throne. This day is a gift.

You've made up your mind to enjoy it. A few weeks ago, Victoria asked me to run her up to the grocery store. She just had to get one thing. He's just going to take a second. Well, I drove into the parking lot over here. It was packed. Cars everywhere. So crowded.

I finally made it up to the front. I was going to drop her off at the, main door and go park. She jumped out of the car real fast so I wouldn't block everyone. She needed something from the back seat. So I put the car in park because I had to reach way back and take my foot off the break. And I handed it to her and she ran in. I went to put the car in drive, but it wouldn't engage because she had the car keys in her purse. Now she was in the store, and her phone's right next to me and I'm out front blocking everybody. People start, honking and hollering, driving by, waving with one finger, and the security guard came over,

and I told him what happened. She's just going to be a minute, and ten minutes later, here comes Victoria with three bags, and somehow God always multiplies that one thing. I was sorry I blocked the traffic, but the fact is life is too short to let these things still our joy. I thought, I'm not going to let that ruin the rest of my night. I already ruined everybody else's. I set my mind on the higher things to enjoy this day, to love my family, to honor God.

See, the scripture says to set your mind and keep it set. God knew during the day we'd have opportunities to unset it, to be frustrated, to get offended, given to doubt. Joe, I didn't get the contractor. things didn't work out. No, keep it sad. God is still in control. He's still ordering your steps. This day is a gift from God. Don't miss the opportunity to enjoy it. I read about something called neural clustering. When you dwell on a thought long enough, just 10 or 15 seconds, the way the brain works is it starts finding other similar thoughts. Your thoughts begin to grow and it creates momentum.

If you're thinking of fearful thought, the mind says, okay, we're thinking about fear. Here are five more things to be fearful about. When we're worried, thinking, what if this doesn't work out? The mind will give you more reasons to be worried. The more you think about it, the bigger that cluster gets. But the good news is, this doesn't just work in the negative. It works in the positive. When you think grateful thoughts, you get up in the morning and say, Lord, thank you that I'm alive.

as you dwell on that the mind goes to work finds other things to be grateful for it that thought comes lord thank you for my children and thank you for turning that problem around lord thank you for that door that you open you just thought the first thought but then the mind starts recruiting these other thoughts just like it your thoughts are not stagnant they're creating momentum my question is is it the momentum that you want i'm healthy i'm strong i'm favored, you dwell on that and more good thoughts are going to come. God's fighting my battles. It's going to be a blessed year. I'm excited about my future. That neural cluster is getting bigger, stronger, and finding more of the same type thoughts. But sometimes we're letting our mind

work against us. And we wake up in the morning dwelling on the negative and what's not going to work out. And before long, here's another thing to be depressed about. Another bad break you went through. another person that hurt you. That's not the enemy. That's your mind doing what it was designed to do. If you think nothing good ever happens to me, your brain fires off that circuit. Start looking for evidence. Let's give him some examples. Here comes bad memory number one. Number two, here's that time you failed. Number three, remember those people that let you out? That negative will continue until you put a stop to it. You can spiral into doubt or you can spiral into faith. You can spiral into worry or you can spiral into peace.

Your thoughts are growing. They're multiplying, producing more of the same. This is why Paul said, set your mind on higher things. He was saying, don't let the momentum work against you. Don't let the negative spiral switch over to faith, to hope, to gratitude. Get your mind to work for you. you. It's attracting more of what you're thinking about. A friend of mine was on a train years ago, and he met this couple that was very successful. The lady who was wearing expensive clothing,

nice jewelry, and they were in the first class cabin together. Everything was great. But from the very start, this woman did nothing but complain. She complained the temperature too cold. Food wasn't good. The service too slow. The cabin wasn't clean. The train was too noise. The train was too noise. She was miserable. Nothing was right. Well, later, my friend struck up a conversation with her husband, and he was just the opposite. Friendly and easygoing and joy in life. He told how he was in the car business, and God had blessed them so greatly, and he was just so thankful. Well, my friend asked about his wife. He said, she's in the manufacturing business. He was kind of surprised. It didn't seem to fit her. He asked, what does she manufacture? The husband said she manufactures unhappiness. She's unhappy everywhere she goes. Whether you realize it or not, you're manufacturing something. Your thoughts are producing more like-minded thoughts.

If you dwell on a positive thought, your mind will bring you ten more. If you find a reason to complain, your mind will give you a dozen more things to complain about. You're creating mental momentum. make sure yours is going in the right direction. Let's manufacture faith. Let's manufacture hope, joy, generosity. Set your mind on the higher things. Friends, life is short. We don't have time to live negative, bitter, worried. Today can be a turning point. You can reset your mind. Like the lady with the issue of blood, you can choose to think some new thoughts. Don't let the enemy use your womb to incubate his lives. Your womb is designed to give birth to what God promised you.

When you wake up in the morning, don't start the day in neutral. Set your mind on faith, on hope, and on victory. If you'll do this, I believe and declare you're going to have more joy, more peace. You will overcome your obstacles, accomplish your dreams, and live the life of victory God has in store for you. In Jesus' name, 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, and we'd 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. Life throws so much at us, disappointments, failures, challenges.

We can feel so out of touch that we no longer recognize ourselves. Life has a way of changing us. At one time we were outgoing and excited about our dreams. But when we go through disappointments and people do us wrong, it's easy to lose that positive, passionate person that we used to be. In my new book, Rediscovering the Forgotten You, I'll help you get back to who you really are, the joyful you, the confident you, the talented you. It's not too late.

You haven't been through too much. You may have lost part of yourself, but you can find yourself. God is in the business of restoring what was lost, healing what was broken. You haven't seen the best version of you yet. It's still in front of you. As our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount, we would like to send you a copy of Joel's brand new book, Rediscovering the Forgotten You.

Take back your passion, reignite your dreams, and embrace the life you were created to live. This book shares uplifting scripture and personal stories that will help you release bitterness, silence self-defeating thoughts, and embrace, by faith, the vision of the life God designed for you.

Life's challenges might have distorted the true you, but now you can reclaim, revitalize and restore the version of yourself that you once knew, or the version that you know God has made you to be, filled with hopes and dreams, optimism, and confidence. Request your copy today and discover the best version of you yet. God is about to breathe new life, new passion, new dreams into your heart. What he started, he's going to finish.

Thanks so much for being with us today. Victoria and I are praying for you and your family for God's very best. Thank you so much for your prayer and support. Your generosity helps people all over the world. A special thank you to our champion of hope partners for all you do to make the ministry possible. If you're not a partner, I hope you'll consider the coming one. Until we meet again, may the Lord bless you and keep you.

Be sure to request your copy of Rediscovering the Forgotten You. Available this month by simply visiting us at joel Osteen.com or call 888-566. Joel. You can also receive the God's Got You Rediscovery Duo. You'll receive Rediscovering the Forgotten You and God's Got You promises for overcoming fear. It's the perfect combination to help you rekindle your purpose while standing firm in God's promises. In addition to these two inspiration books, you can also receive the beautifully crafted CSB thin line study Bible in Camel Swade Soft Leather Touch, an elegant Bible that offers a

rich, immersive study experience and brings God's Word beautifully into your everyday life. This collection is more than encouragement. It is a foundation for lasting renewal, rooted in God's Word, strengthened by faith, and anchored in His promises. You can request these inspiring resources by calling 888-567 Joel or logging on to Joelosteen.com today.