Be Mindful Of The Words You Speak | Victoria Osteen

Summary

---

Podcast Summary: Be Mindful Of The Words You Speak

Podcast: Joel Osteen Podcast
Host: Joel Osteen, featuring Victoria Osteen
Date: March 14, 2026

---

Episode Overview

In this insightful episode, Victoria Osteen delivers a heartfelt and motivating message about the incredible power of the words we speak. Drawing from biblical wisdom and personal anecdotes, she illustrates how our words can shape our lives, direct our futures, and usher in miracles or setbacks. The central theme is encouragement to intentionally speak faith-filled words—even in life's most pressured moments—to align one's life with victory and divine purpose.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of Words and Biblical Foundations

• Words Guide Our Lives:
  Victoria begins by emphasizing the profound effect that spoken words have, comparing them to the rudder of a ship that determines the vessel’s direction, referencing the Book of James (02:00).
• Proverbs & James—Wisdom About Speech:
  She draws from Proverbs and James, highlighting scriptures that describe the tongue as both powerful and potentially dangerous:
  • "[The tongue] is a very small part of the body... a spark can start a forest fire. One word can spark a forest fire in your life." (03:10)
• Challenge to Be the ‘Pilot’ of Our Tongues:
  Victoria challenges listeners to purposefully direct their words, just as a captain directs a ship’s rudder (04:00).

2. Real Life Example: The Mother’s Fears for Her Daughter

• A Negative Prophecy:
  Victoria recounts a conversation with a concerned mother who unintentionally “prophesied” defeat over her daughter’s career.
  • “She was painting a picture of her daughter's life… a picture of defeat. I was standing there—I was depressed!” (05:10)
• Turning the Conversation:
  Victoria intervenes:
  • “Is that what you want for your daughter?... Then quit prophesying her future." (06:00)

3. Choosing Faith Over Fear

• Words as Faith Fuel or Defeat Fuel:
  “We can either let our words of faith fuel our faith, or we can let fear fuel our defeat. See, it’s up to us. We are the pilot behind our tongue.” (06:31)

4. Prayer For Speech: David’s Example

• Victoria references Psalm 141, where King David, under intense pressure, prays for God to “set a guard over my mouth.”
  • “In the pressure of life, he was very well aware of what he was saying.” (07:16)
• Advice for Listeners:
  When unsure what to say, Victoria suggests: "Sometimes you don't know what to say. So don't say anything. Just pray, pray, pray." (08:14)

5. The Story of the Woman with the Issue of Blood (Mark 5)

• Victoria retells the biblical story as a vivid illustration of faith-filled speech:
  • “She said to herself, ‘If I can only touch him, I’ll be healed.’ One version says she kept saying to herself, 'If I can only touch him...'” (09:12)
• Reinforcing Faith:
  “When she began to release these words of faith, it changed her body. Her spirit gave life to her body so she could get up, get out of her house and begin to pursue her faith.” (10:00)

6. How Words Shape Thoughts—and Outcomes

• Reinforcement Cycle:
  “If you are down and you’re discouraged and you speak down and discouraged words, it reinforces those thoughts. But when you begin to speak faith-filled words, it will change your thoughts. It will line you up and set you in the right direction for your life.” (11:10)
• Parallel with Creation:
  “God spoke to the darkness and the void of this world and he brought light and life to this world. He spoke it into existence.” (11:34)

7. Speak Victory and Miracles into Existence

• Call to Action:
  “Take your faith-filled words and begin to declare your victory… Your words will lead you beside still waters. They will guide you in the paths of righteousness. They will set your feet upon a rock. Your words will direct you to the very garment of Jesus. Amen.” (12:11)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Power of Prophecy:
  "Quit prophesying her future.” – Victoria Osteen (06:05)
• On Being a Pilot:
  “We are the pilot behind our tongue. We can turn our life in the direction that we point.” – Victoria Osteen (06:36)
• When at a Loss for Words:
  "Sometimes you don't know what to say. So don't say anything. Just pray, pray, pray." – Victoria Osteen (08:14)
• Victory Through Praise:
  "We've got to praise our way to victory. We've got to release words of faith." – Victoria Osteen (08:38)
• Testimony of Faith-Speech:
  “She kept saying to herself, ‘If I can only touch him, I'll be healed.’… Those words changed the course of her life.” – Victoria Osteen (09:15)
• Life & Death in the Tongue:
  “Your words have life and death in them.” – Victoria Osteen (11:38)
• Encouragement to Listeners:
  “Your words will direct you to the very garment of Jesus. Amen.” – Victoria Osteen (12:22)

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | | --------- | ------- | | 01:45 | Opening—The power of spoken words | | 03:10 | Biblical comparisons: the tongue as fire and rudder | | 05:10 | Story: Mother speaking negatively about her daughter’s career | | 06:00 | “Quit prophesying her future.” | | 07:16 | David’s prayer for guarded speech (Psalm 141) | | 08:14 | Practical advice: Prayer and praise when at a loss | | 09:12 | The woman with the issue of blood & faith-filled words | | 10:00 | How words empower faith and action | | 11:10 | The self-reinforcing nature of words and thoughts | | 12:11 | Call to speak victory and direct your life through speech |

---

Episode Takeaways

• Words are profoundly powerful—either propelling us toward faith and victory, or reinforcing fear and defeat.
• Intentional, faith-filled speech can change outcomes, even in the midst of adversity.
• Practical encouragement: When under pressure or in confusion, choose silence, prayer, or praise over negative talk.
• Listeners are called to ‘pilot’ their words, guarding what comes out of their mouths, especially in challenging seasons.

---

Transcript

[Announcer]

Day or night, VRBoCare is here 247 to help make every part of your stay seamless. If anything comes up or you simply need a little guidance, support is ready whenever you reach out. From the moment you book to the moment you head home. We're here to help things run smoothly because a great trip starts with the right support. And hey, a good playlist doesn't hurt either.

[Commercial Narrator]

If you're tackling a home project, check out Angie. From roofing to remodels and everything in between, Angie connects you with skilled pros who do such a good job, you might trust them to do other things like pull out your tooth or be your kid's godfather. Don't actually ask them to do those things, just let them get the job done. Well, Angie, the one you trust to find the ones you trust, find a [e-mail] Guys, the best time for an underwear refresh is now. Tommy John underwear is designed for a perfect fit that stays put all day. Their zeroed shave, thanks to four times more stretch than competing brands and their innovative horizontal quickdraw fly, is a game changer. With over 30 million pairs sold, there are thousands of men out there more comfortable than you. Don't settle for less. Go to tommyjohn.com today for 30% off sitewide with code comfort. That's tommyjohn.com comfor Tommy John comfort Perfected.

[Joel Osteen]

Hi, this is Joel in Victoria. Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry.

If you enjoyed 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.

You know, the scripture talks a lot about the words that come out of our mouth and so I want to encourage us with this simple truth to have faith words. It's a simple truth, but it has a profound effect on our life. The words that come out of our mouth can guide our life. The words that can come out of our mouth can change our life and lead us in different directions depending on what's coming out of our mouth. The Book of Proverbs is a book of wisdom and it's the wisdom of God and it teaches us how to live our life. It guides us in this journey through life so that we can take hold of this wisdom, apply it, and it will direct us. It will get us to where we need to be. If we will apply this wisdom, it will direct us to miracles. It will direct us to the things of God. You know, the Bible talks about the tongue it says it in James. It says the tongue is a very small part of the body. It says, but with one spark, just like a forest fire can begin with one word, you can spark a forest fire in your own life. It also compares the tongue to a rudder of a big ship. Now, the rudder of a big ship is a very small part of the ship. And even though the winds come against that ship and the ship has to go through raging waters, do you know that whichever way the rudder turns, it can change the direction of that entire huge ship? It's all about the pilot and how he directs. The rudder is where the ship goes. Can I encourage us to be the pilot of our tongues, to speak words of faith, to release them in the atmosphere so that our words will lead us and guide us to the place we want to go? I was talking to a woman the other day, and she was talking about her beautiful daughter. She loves her daughter so much, but she was talking about her daughter having this job, and the job was not recognizing the talents that her daughter had. In fact, she was feeling like her daughter wasn't getting the breaks that she deserved. And there were other people she felt less talented than her daughter that were stepping up and getting all the good breaks, getting the opportunities, and it was just breaking her heart. She was so frustrated. She was going on and on, telling me how if this doesn't change, the this is what's gonna happen. She's gonna look up. She's gonna pass her time to do what she wants to do. She began painting this picture of her daughter's life, and it was a picture of defeat. I stood there, and I was depressed. I thought, oh, no, is this what's gonna happen to her daughter? And then I realized, oh, my gosh, this woman is convincing me. She's getting me upset and depressed. And I looked at her and I said, is that what you want for your daughter? And she said, of course that's not what I want for my daughter. And I said, then quit prophesying her future. She was allowing fear and those words to fuel this scenario of failure. Listen, if she was convincing me, what were those words going to do in her daughter's life? You see, we can either let our words of faith fuel our faith, or we can let fear fuel our defeat. See, it's up to us. We are the pilot behind our tongue. We can turn our life in the direction that we point. So I want to encourage us all today to release your words of faith. Listen, the pressures of life are real, and it's in Those times that we need to be aware of what we're speaking. The psalmist David prayed this prayer. In Psalm 141, he said, set a guard over my mouth, O Lord. Keep a watch over my lips. You see, David was in a very pressured situation. He was in a cave. The enemies were all around him. They were coming in on him. They were going to defeat him. And his prayer was this. God, set a guard over my mouth. Keep watch over my lips. You see, in the pressure of life, he was very well aware of what he was saying. Listen, I hope this has as much an impact on you as it has on me. Because I realize as David continued in that psalm, he said, lord, I don't want to give in to their evils. I don't want to say what they're saying. I don't want to eat the delicacies of my lips. Keep me, Father, keep me separated. Keep me looking up to you. You know, sometimes you don't know what to say. So don't say anything. Just pray, pray, pray, pray. God, help me. Help me, God. You know, sometimes when I don't know what to say and my mind is swirling, I just begin to praise. I begin to just thank him and praise him. The songs that we sing here, every week, I begin to sing those songs. You see, I've learned them here. I've got them in my heart so they can come out my mouth. We've got to praise our way to victory. We've got to release words of faith. We don't want to eat the fruit of our lips. We want to direct our life around the evil, through the storms, and straight to Jesus. Straight to Jesus. There's a story in Mark 25. It's about the woman who was bleeding in her body for 12 long years. She had been to many doctors. She'd done everything she could. She spent all of her money. She wasn't getting better. She was only getting worse. She was frail. She was weak. But I love what it says in Mark 25. It says one day she heard Jesus was coming to town. And she said to herself, if I can only touch him, I'll be healed. One version says she kept saying to herself, if I can only touch him, I'll be healed. Do you see those words of faith that she was releasing out of her mouth? I believe it's what gave her the power that day to get out of her home, push through the crowded streets to find her way. You see, she was frail. She was weak. She had tried everything. But when she began to release These words of faith, if I can only touch him. If I can only touch him. It changed her body. It literally, her spirit gave life to her body so she could get up, get out of her house and begin to pursue her faith. Her faith. That day she found herself at the feet of Jesus. I can see her now. I can see her now pushing through. If I can only get to him. If I can only get to him. She came up behind him. She gave one last, if I can only get to him. She stretched out her hand and touched the hem of his robe. That's all she could reach, was the hem of his robe before he took the next step. And immediately she knew her life was changed. Very interesting. Jesus looked at his disciples and said, who touched me? They said, there's so many people around us, Lord, everybody's crowding around us. And Jesus turned around and he looked at that woman. He saw her faith. He saw the words coming out of her mouth. He saw how she got to him. He said, woman, you are healed. Do you see how those words led her to her miracle? Those words changed the course of her life. See, the interesting thing is that she not only had to fight through the crowd with those words, but she had to fight through the crowd in her mind, the crowded thoughts that were trying to tell her, just stay here, you've tried everything. The opinions of her family and friend and said, I'm sorry, there's nothing we can do. You're just gonna have to die. You see, she had crowded thoughts in her mind, but because of her words of faith, she changed her thoughts. Do you know your words can reinforce your thoughts? If you are down and you're discouraged and you speak down and discouraged words, words like, I'm never gonna make it, this is never gonna change. Do you know that? It reinforces those thoughts. But when you begin to speak faith filled words, you begin to get the word of God in your mouth and you begin to speak it, it will change your thoughts. It will line you up and set you in the right direction for your life, your life. Your words have life and death in them. Do you know God spoke to the darkness and the void of this world and he brought light and life to this world. He spoke it into existence. Just like that woman prophesied her life when she said, if I can only touch him, I'll be healed. You see, she prophesied with her words. Jesus said, my words are spirit and they are life. I want to encourage every one of us to take the words of God, to take your faith filled words and begin to declare your victory. You see, it doesn't matter about the winds that are coming against you. It doesn't matter the storms. You can pass through those storms and get on the course to victory. You can get on the course to your miracle today. Your words will lead you beside still waters. They will guide you in the paths of righteousness. They will set your feet upon a rock. Your words will direct you to the very garment of Jesus. Amen. Amen.

We all go through disappointments and things that are not fair. But God sees every hurt, every injustice, and he's promised to pay you back for the unfair things. Now I'd love to send you my new resource, Double for your Trouble. It's filled with inspiration to help you stay in faith and not get bitter and think, why me? That setback may have been painful, but the fact is it sets you up for Double. God will make the enemy pay and bring you out better than you were before.

[Announcer]

This ministry is reaching people around the world with the message of hope and as our way of saying thank you for for your gift of any amount, we would like to send you A copy of Double for your Trouble. A daily guide for restoration. This 31 day spiral bound resource is an invitation into healing, restoration and the abundant life God has promised. Whether you're walking through a season of loss, believing for a breakthrough, or simply looking for a deeper connection with God, this guide is designed to help you reflect, realign and rebuild day by day. Receive your copy and know that whatever you're facing today, grief, loss, uncertainty, it doesn't define your future. Choose to trust God. He sees you, he cares deeply and he is the God who restores Double.

[Joel Osteen]

None of us like difficulties, but if you'll stay in faith, you won't come out the same. You'll come out with Double. Victoria and I pray for you and your family every day. Thank you for your prayers and support. Your donations are bringing hope to people around the world. Special thank you to our Champion of Hope partners for all you do to make the ministry possible. Until we see you again next week. May the Lord bless you and keep you.

[Announcer]

Be sure to request your copy of Double for your Trouble, available this month by simply visiting [e-mail] or call 888-567 Joel. You can also receive God's Got yout Restoration Duo. This book is a powerful reminder that no matter what you face, you are not alone. God's got you and he will never let you go. In addition to these two inspiration books, you can also receive the Double Portion Restoration Bible Collection this beautifully curated collection brings together the restoring of hope of double for your trouble and the comforting reassurance of God's got you Paired with a stunning sequel CSB Thinline Bible Digital Study Edition in camel suede soft leather touch, this elegant Bible offers a rich, immersive study experience an enduring companion as you lean into God's promises of renewal and restoration. Let these resources strengthen your faith, steady your heart, and remind you each day that God is restoring, leading and working Double on your behalf. You can request these inspiring resources by calling 888-567-jOEL or logging on to jolostein.com

[Joel Osteen]

today if you've never been to Lakewood, we have a great opportunity to come. We call it Homecoming Weekend. We'd love to meet you and your family. You can see the building and attend one of the services. It's a great time to be a part of the Lakewood family. Looking forward to seeing you at the at Homecoming weekend.

[Announcer]

Early birds Always rise to the occasion for summer vacation planning because early gets you closer to the action. So don't be late. Book your next vacation early on VRBO and save over $120. Rise and shine. Average savings $141 select homes only I need to start off the new year right by getting the most for my money.

[GoToBank Spokesperson]

I just opened a Goto bank account

[Announcer]

and it's paying off out the gate. I want to save money on filing my taxes.

[GoToBank Spokesperson]

Look no further than GoToBank. You'll get 20% off TurboTax when filing your 2025 taxes.

[Announcer]

That sounds like a great way to start the year.

[GoToBank Spokesperson]

Open your GoToBank account today and get started.

[Announcer]

Learn more at GoToBank.com tax green.bank member FDIC

[GoToBank Spokesperson]

Real talent is defined by what people can do, not where they learn to do it. So by stopping at the education section of a resume and you might throw away the perfect hire skills first. Hiring helps you see talent others miss, like more than 70 million stars skilled through alternative routes, let their story unfold and gain a competitive advantage. Because hiring managers who start with skills are 60% more likely to find a successful hire. Hire skills first. Learn why at tearthepaperceiling.org, brought to you by OpportunityAtWork and the Ad Council.