Joel Osteen Podcast - Surrender The Outcome | Joel Osteen

Episode Date: January 18, 2026

God’s ways are better than our ways. What He has planned for you is greater than you can imagine.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. God bless you. It's great to be with you today. I hope you'll stay connected with us during the week through our daily podcast or 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. But I'd like to start with something funny, and I heard about this man. He was quietly reading the newspaper when his wife snuck up behind him and hit him on the head with a frying pan. He said, what was that for? She said, that was for the piece of paper I found in your pocket with the name Mary Lou on it. He said, oh, honey, that's just one of the horses that I bet on at the racetrack last week. She apologized, went about her business. Two days later, she hit him on the head with a bigger frying pan.

Pan. After he woke up, he said, what in the world was that for? She said, your horse just called. That is not good at all. Here we go, 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 bless you. God bless you. God. you. I want to talk to you today about surrender the outcome. We all have goals and dreams and promises we're standing on and we have our idea of how it should work out and when it should happen. This door will open and this person will show up. This will start to improve. But God's ways are not our ways. His plans are higher and better than our plans. Much of our frustration comes from trying to control the outcome. If you're only going to be happy if God does it your way,

you're setting yourself up for disappointment. God doesn't always take you the shortest route. He can see dead ends that you can't see. He knows the motives of people and what they're really up to. We think they'd be good for us and we need their favor. But God can see how they would hinder our destiny so he's keeping them away. We can be frustrated.

thinking, God, where are you? But God is not ignoring you. He's protecting you. He's keeping you from heartache and pain. If you're going to stay in peace, you have to learn to surrender the outcome. You have to trust that God knows what's best, that his plans for you are for good.

If it's not happening the way that you thought, that means he has something better. There's nothing wrong with telling God what you want, what you're believing for. but the key is to leave the timing and the way it happens in his hands. Hold tightly to your dreams, but hold loosely to how it's going to happen. Had someone tell me recently, Joel, God let me down. I prayed, I worked hard.

He didn't come through for me. They had their mind set on one way, the way they wanted, but we can't see all that God can see. Sometimes it's a divine delay. God's not doing it now. because everything is not ready. Or a divine detour. He caused you to take that turn you weren't expecting

because it's leading to something greater. Just because it hasn't happened your way doesn't mean that God has forgotten about you. He let you down. I don't understand. The problem is you're trying to be God. You're trying to control things you can't control. You have to turn the outcome over to him.

Our part is to believe. lead, to obey, to trust. His part is to get us to our destinies. See, the scripture says, God didn't lead the Israelites the shortest route to the promised land because they weren't prepared for war. They would have been defeated by their enemies. What they thought was a delay was really God protecting them. They were frustrated. Moses, why did you bring us out here to die? But the whole time, they were in the plan of God. They couldn't see it because they had their idea of how it would work out. If you're going to stay in peace, you have to learn to surrender the outcome.

God is going to do things in your life that you don't have plan, that you didn't see coming. Quit trying to control things you were never meant to control. Trying to force the door to open and manipulate that person to like you and frustrated because you're not seeing the results. the right approach is, God, this is what I want. This is what I'm believing for. But God, my commitment to you is not dependent on the results. Whether you answer this prayer the way I want or not, I'm still going to honor you, whether my business takes off or not, whether my health turns around, whether I get that scholarship or not, God, I'm still going to praise you. I'm still going

have a smile. I'm still going to be my best. That's real faith. That's showing God that you trust him. Not conditional faith. If God does everything I want, then I'll be happy. If he comes through on my time table, then I'll serve him. That's going to keep you from your destiny. God is working in ways that we don't understand. Well, Joel, I was being my best at work, but the company didn't promote me. I was next in line, but I got passed over. That feels like rejection, but the truth is, God is your doorkeeper. Because you're honoring him, he's controlling the doors in your life. What opens and what closes.

That's not rejection, it's direction. God is keeping you in his plan. He opens doors that no man can shut. What he has in store, when it's the right time, no person can stop, no bad break, no company, no government, he has all power. If you want to save yourself a lot of frustration, surrender the outcome. Quit trying to control how it's going to work out

and when it's going to happen and who needs to show up. You're putting God in a box, telling him what to do, how to do it. No offense, he doesn't need your help. He's God. When you surrender the outcome, you're saying, God, I trust you. You know what's best for my life.

You'll get me to where I'm supposed to be. This takes the pressure off. But too often, we're trying to control. the outcome and force the door to open, straining, manipulating. The scripture says, God has already written every day of your life. He has things planned that you can't see, but if your faith is based on what you thought would happen, God didn't answer my prayers. That situation didn't work out. That's going to limit you. You're disappointed, but God is working behind the scenes, keeping you in his best plan. He may be leading you a longer route on

purpose. Or you're concerned about the opposition, but God is using it to do a work in you, getting you prepared. Or that problem you hope would be resolved by now. But God hasn't delivered you from it. He's going to take you through it. It's going to be a greater testimony. You don't understand it now, but when it's all said and done, you're going to come out with greater influence, greater honor, greater resources, as an example of God's goodness. Right. That wouldn't have happened if God would have done it your way. Why don't you surrender the outcome? All those things you could be worried about.

Why isn't this happening? Turn it over to him. Do your best and then rest. God, I don't have to have my way to be happy. I trust you. I know your way is better. This is what the three Hebrew teenagers did. They lived in Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar had created this idol

and ordered them all to bow down and worship. Well, these teenagers only worshiped Jehovah. They wouldn't bow. Some of the people were upset and they ran, told the king, we got these troublemakers, these teenagers that won't bow. Well, the king flew into a rage. He was so angry, he called them together, said, I'm going to give you one more chance.

If you don't bow down, I'm going to have you thrown into a fiery furnace. They said in verse 17, king, we're not going to bow. If you throw us into the furnace, we know our God is able to deliver us. He will rescue us from your power. I love their faith. I love how they declared it. We know God is able to deliver us. We know He's all powerful.

We're not afraid of you. They were bold and confident. But the next verse is the key. But even if he doesn't deliver us, we're still not going to bow down. Their commitment wasn't based on getting the results they were hoping for it. They didn't say, God, we'll serve you as long as we don't get thrown into that furnace. We won't bow as long as you change the king's mind. That's conditional faith. As long as you answer my prayers, change my spouse, open this door, turn my health around,

then I'll give you praise. But true faith is when you surrender the outcome. God, I know you can deliver me, but even if you don't, I'm still not going to bow. I know you can heal me. That's what I'm believing for. But even if you don't, I'm still going to honor you. I know you can bring my child back home. You can increase my business. But even if it doesn't happen, I'm not going to live bitter. God, I trust you. I know your plans for me are for good. Whether you take me through it or deliver me from it, I'm going to stay in peace with a good attitude, knowing that it's all working together for my good. What am I saying? Don't be a fair weathered believer. If God does what you want, you get the results you were counting on, then you'll be

happy. Then you'll pursue your dreams. Then you'll put God first. God is looking for people like these teenagers that will surrender the outcome, that are committed to him whether he delivers you from the fire or you get thrown into the fire. People that aren't swayed by what they thought, what they had planned, what they hoped for. You don't get bitter. You don't give up on your dreams. Think about Job in the middle of all of his troubles. His whole world fell apart. Yet he looked up to the heavens and said, though he slay me, yet will I trust him? I would rather die in faith, trusting, believing, thanking God for his goodness,

than to die bitter, complaining about the results. God, why didn't you keep me out of the fire? Why didn't my prayer get answered? Why is it taking so long? If you don't learn to surrender the outcome, life's going to be frustrating. You'll end up discouraged

because God's ways are not our ways. There are doors you may want open, but God is keeping them closed because what you want is too small. It will limit your destiny. There are situations you won't change right now. You're uncomfortable. You're having to stretch and deal with difficult people.

You can't see it, but God is using that to do a work in you. He's getting you stronger, more confident, because he's about to do something you haven't seen. Now, trust him with the outcome. Quit being disappointed. because things haven't gone your way. The king didn't change his mind. You didn't get delivered from the difficulty.

Let's be like these teenagers. This bad break, this delay, this sickness didn't weaken my faith. I know God is still on the throne. I know my life is still in his hands. He wouldn't have allowed it if it was going to stop your purpose. Leave the results in God's hands. Leave the way he's going to do it. and when he's going to do it up to him.

I'm sure these teenagers prayed, God please keep us out of the fire. God, please change the king's mind. They had feelings. They had emotions. They didn't want to go into the fire, but they understood this principle. We can't control the outcome.

We can't make things go away and make this situation work out. One thing we can control is our attitude. I'm not going to live worried. upset, striving. God, you know what's best for me. I believe you're working behind the scenes. What you have purpose for my life will come to pass. That takes the pressure off. That's how you stay in faith, not basing your commitment on whether God comes through for you on your timetable, the way you had planned. Our plans are limited, but God is unlimited. Our ways are natural,

but God is supernatural. He has, things planned for you that you haven't seen, heard, or imagine. So that door closed that you wanted so badly to open, what if you knew God was about to open something better than you've ever dreamed? That's why it did not work out. Or you got thrown into the fire, so to speak. God could have delivered you. He's done it before. This time it didn't happen. You don't know what God is up to. you may be in the fire. The good news is, God controls the thermostat. He won't let you face too much heat. He knows what you can handle. The king was so upset. He had them heat the fire seven times hotter than normal. They threw the teenagers in, hands and feet were bound. A few minutes, the king came over to check on them,

looked through the furnace door. He was puzzled. He said, didn't we throw three men inbound? I see four men loose. and one looks like the son of God. Those teenagers came out without the smell of smoke. The king said from now on, we're all going to worship the God of Shadrach, Nishak, Abindigo. Sometimes God will deliver you from the fire. Other times he will make you fireproof and take you through the fire.

You have to leave how he does it in his hands. If God would have kept them from the fire, just changed the king's mind, they wouldn't have had the influence, the favor. We probably wouldn't be talking about them. None of us like to go through difficulties, things we don't understand that are not fair. It's tempting to thank God, where are you?

We know you can deliver us. We know you can heal, free, promote. This is what separates the people that get stuck and the people that see God show out in their life. One group is trying to control the outcome. The other has learned to surrender the outcome. One is only going to be happy if God does it their way. God, if you keep me out of the fire, if you meet my demands, the other says, God, I trust you. You're my doorkeeper. You're my defender. You're my waymaker. I'm not moved by

the delays, the detours, the disappointments. I know it's all serving your plan. A few years after I began pastoring, the church was growing, and we needed a larger auditorium. We couldn't build where we were because the streets weren't big enough. They couldn't handle that many people. So we found this 100-acre tract of land right off the freeway, just a few miles from the other location. I talked to the owner, and he said the property had been on the market for over 20 years, and he had never had one offer. I knew God had saved that for us. He told us we didn't need to draw up the contract right then. We could do the preliminary drawings and the soil samples while we were waiting for the legal work to be done.

I was so excited we had this perfect piece of property. A couple of months later, we went to close on it. His secretary walked out and said, I'm sorry, the owner sold the property last night. I couldn't believe it. The men gave us his word, changed his mind. I went home so discouraged, told Victoria how unfair that was, and how there was no more property. We had looked everywhere. Now we were stuck.

She said, Joel, listen to me. God is still in control. The reason he closed that door is because he has something better. We're not going to complain, be sour. We're going to stay in faith, knowing that he's up to something that we can't see right now. She started preaching one of my sermons back to me. I didn't want to hear that. I wanted to be depressed. But when we try to control the outcome, we're going to be frustrated because God's ways are not our ways. My way was to find property and build.

That's what I'd seen my father do time after time, build sanctuary after sanctuary. But God is going to do something new in your life, things that your family has never seen. Now, do your part and stay open. Don't put God in a box. close that door because my thinking was too small. What God had planned was much bigger, something I couldn't fathom. I mean, I grew up watching the Rockets play basketball here. I had season tickets right over there. This was the premier facility in our city. I had to let go of what I had in mind and trust that God's ways are better. About a year later, the compact center became available. By the grace of God, things fell into place. And here we are.

today, something more than I ever imagined. But I've learned now to surrender the outcome. When the door closes, when there are delays and detours, things I don't understand, I know now that God is up

to something that I can't see. And yes, I was aggravated at that man. He sold that out from under us. He didn't keep his word. He betrayed us. The fact is, it wasn't his fault. He was a pawn in the hands of God. God called him to shut the door.

If he'd sold us the property, we'd been too far down the road to get the compact center. Some of the things that you're disappointed over and wondering why they didn't work out, why is there such a delay? Why won't my business grow? If you'll stay in faith, one day you will see what God was up to. It will be better than what you had in mind. There's a man in the scripture named Saul. He was highly educated in Jewish law and greatly respected. He had a brilliant mind. He was fluid in several languages.

He was passionate about keeping the Jewish tradition so much so that he led the charge to persecute followers of Christ. He was the biggest enemy of the church. He was standing by giving his approval when Stephen was stoned to death for his faith. But on the road to Damascus, he had this dramatic. conversion, the light shine down, the voice spoke to him, he became a believer. His name was changed to Paul. Well, he had this same passion, this same fire to share the message of Jesus. The problem was the disciples wouldn't accept him. They knew how he was so against the church. They weren't convinced that he had changed. They were still skeptical. I'm sure Paul thought, God, you know my heart. You're the one that changed me. My intentions are to help believers to be an asset, but they won't let me in.

Didn't seem fair. Why would God have him go through this supernatural conversion and then be rejected by the people he's trying to help? Well, since the Jewish believers wouldn't accept him, Paul started going to the Gentiles to spread the message of Christ. Without the disciples rejecting Paul, Christianity wouldn't have come to the Gentiles. Paul saw it as rejection, but really it was direction. It was God closing the door to push him into the purpose that he had planned. Jesus said in Acts 9, Saul is a chosen vessel to bear my name before the Gentiles.

Saul had all this Jewish education, influence, but God's ways are not our ways. God said, I'm going to use you to reach the Gentiles. If the Jewish believers would have accepted Paul, that would have been easier for him, more comfortable, but Paul wouldn't have had the impact. We wouldn't have half the books in the New Testament if Paul would have gotten discouraged. God, these people won't accept me. I don't understand it. No, Paul knew how to surrender the outcome. Maybe like him, you could be upset because the door closed. The problem hasn't turned around. People misled. People misled.

understand you, well, stay in peace. The outcome is not your job. That's God's job. Our job is to trust him, to obey, to do the right thing when we're not seeing the results we want. God's ways are not our ways. Sometimes he uses rejection, delays, storms to move us into our purpose. Quit fighting everything that doesn't go your way. When you surrender the outcome, this takes the pressure off. Because God has not forgotten about you. He has seen everything you've been through. What's taken longer than you thought, what didn't work out. Like Paul, you're going to come into opportunity, favor, influence that will only happen because God took you that way. It was all necessary. Everything is serving his plan.

Years later, Paul was on a boat headed toward Rome. He was a prisoner on his way to see Caesar. On this three-month journey, they encountered a huge storm. For 14 days, they didn't see the sun nor the stars. God, so bad, and the waves so high, they started throwing things overboard, trying to stay afloat. The scripture says that all hope was gone that they would be saved. They got to where they couldn't steer the ship anymore. The wind's too strong. verse 15 says they took down the cells and let the wind blow the ship wherever the storm wanted it to go instead of fighting it trying to force it somewhere they surrendered the outcome well an angel had told paul that he would stand before caesar paul could have thought god what's going on i'm supposed to be going to rome but i'm on this boat with no cells being blown by the wind Seemed like he was out of control, but God was ordering his steps.

He caused the winds to blow that boat to a small island, ran aground and broke apart. They all jumped overboard and swam to land. Well, there was a small group of natives that lived there. The main leader was very sick. Paul prayed for him, and he was healed. Everyone gathered around. Paul shared the message of Christ. many on the island became believers.

The storm looked like a bad break, but really it was a divine detour. It was God taking Paul to those people in need. Paul wasn't bitter. He wasn't complaining. God, why am I in this storm? Why am I shipwreck? It's not what he had planned, but he learned this principle to surrender the outcome. His faith wasn't dependent on getting the result.

he was hoping for. He realized God's ways are better. There are times in life the winds are blowing. The waves are high. We're trying to steer our ship, force this to happen, make this work out, manipulate these people. But at some point, you need to do like the captain, take down yourselves. Let that storm take you wherever the winds blow. God will never take you somewhere and not sustain you. Quit fighting everything. Upset over who left. Discurraged over the delay. Frustrated because of the setback, come back to a place of peace. The outcome is not up to you. Our job is to stay in faith, to believe, to do the right thing. God is the one who controls the winds. He wouldn't have allowed that storm if it wasn't going to move you into your purpose.

let's have an attitude like these teenagers. God, I know you can deliver me, but even if you don't, I'm still going to trust you. I'm still going to be happy. I'm still going to pursue my dreams. This takes the pressure off. This can save you a lot of frustration. Trying to control things you can't control will wear you out. Do yourself a favor.

Surrender the outcome. Let go and let God. If you'll do this, I believe and declare, like these times, teenagers, you're going to see the fourth man in the fire. Supernatural breakthroughs, healing, provision. Like Paul, the rejection leading to direction, the storms blowing you into purpose, promotion, favor, the fullness of your destiny. 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'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. 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, 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, 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. 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 Lose. Christine.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, 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.