Joel Osteen Podcast - "Celebrate Partial Victories"

Host: Joel Osteen
Date: November 26, 2025
Episode Theme: Embracing and celebrating incremental progress in life, faith, personal growth, and relationships—finding joy and gratitude not just in final outcomes, but in each small, positive step along the journey.

Overview

In this inspiring episode, Joel Osteen shares the importance of recognizing and celebrating partial victories—those unfinished steps, small advances, and partial answers to prayers that occur on the way to larger goals or breakthroughs. Osteen encourages listeners to express gratitude for every bit of progress and teaches that cultivating thankfulness for small victories sustains faith, brings more blessings, and leads to eventual total success. He draws on biblical accounts, personal stories, and practical examples to emphasize the value of the journey and the growth that happens along the way.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Trap of Waiting for Total Victory

• Many individuals delay gratitude and celebration until a problem is fully solved or a dream is entirely realized.
• Osteen argues that this mindset causes us to miss God's blessings in the present and discourages continued progress.
• Example: "You're not totally out of debt, but you paid off one credit card. Celebrate what God has done." (04:01)

2. Power of Gratitude for "Partial" Success

• Expressing thanks for small improvements or victories opens the way for greater blessings.
• Partial progress—no matter how small—should be acknowledged as evidence of God's favor and a step in the right direction.
• Notable Quote: "When you thank God for the partial, he'll release more healing, more strength, more favor." (05:00)

3. Biblical Illustrations

• Feeding of the 5,000: Jesus was grateful for the five loaves and two fish, leading to a multiplication miracle (06:07).
  • Quote: "Because he was grateful for the partial, God multiplied it and gave him more." (06:26)
• Book of Ezra: Israelites celebrated just the completion of the temple’s foundation, even though the project was far from finished (07:05).
  • Quote: "All they had completed was the foundation. Yet, they had this huge celebration, this big party." (07:30)
• Jonah: Gave thanks from the belly of the whale, before deliverance (09:50).

4. Personal Stories & Modern Parallels

• Story of an elderly woman post-stroke:
  • She chose gratitude for being able to walk, even with a cane, rather than focusing on her limitations (04:41).
  • Quote: "I have to use this cane, but at least I’m walking." (04:48)
• Charles Barkley & Moses Malone:
  • Moses challenged Charles to lose weight in small increments and celebrated each milestone, leading to long-term success.
  • Quote: "If I'd told you at the beginning, you would have been overwhelmed. But I knew if you took it in small increments and we celebrated along the way, you'd stick with it." (08:59)

5. The Creation Example

• God declared "it is good" at the end of each creation day, marking each incomplete stage with celebration and affirmation, not just waiting for the final finished world.
• Quote: "If you don’t learn to see the good in the unfinished, you’ll never get to 'very good.'" (11:10)

6. Self-Acceptance and Encouragement

• Many people are overly critical of themselves, focusing on what remains undone or imperfect rather than progress.
• Osteen urges listeners to celebrate their own efforts, no matter how small.
• Practical Insight: "If nobody else will celebrate you, you need to learn to celebrate yourself. Have your own party. You don't have to tell anyone." (14:30)
• Example: Eating fewer cookies, controlling your temper, or being present for your kids all count as partial victories worth celebration.

7. Applying the Principle in Relationships

• Focus on the good in others—spouse, children, friends—rather than on flaws or shortcomings.
• Complimenting and supporting the people in your life reinforces positive behaviors and strengthens relationships.
• Quote: "People improve when you compliment them for what's right more than when you nag them for what's wrong." (23:45)
• Practical Advice: Overlook minor annoyances and celebrate the strengths that first drew you together.

8. Embracing Lifelong Growth

• No one is a finished product—neither you nor those around you.
• Make allowances for weakness and celebrate each step of growth, both for yourself and for others.
• Osteen’s Encouragement: "God is changing you from glory to glory. You haven’t made it to day six yet. There are still some unfinished things. Keep honoring him, keep being your best, and God will get you to where you’re supposed to be." (24:33)

9. Taking a Stand Against Self-Criticism

• Let go of condemning voices and self-doubt.
• Recognize your identity as a child of God, “handpicked,” “crowned with favor,” and full of “seeds of greatness.” (16:15)
• Quote: "When you say I am good, it’s not because of who you are, it’s because of whose you are." (16:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Gratitude in Difficulty:
  "Jonah could have been depressed, negative. Instead, he was thanking God that he was still alive. As he thanked God for the partial, God went to work..." (10:01)
• On Personal Growth:
  "You may not be where you want to be, but you can thank God you’re not where you used to be. You’re growing, you’re making progress, you’re coming up higher." (20:02)
• On Relationships:
  "If you’ll praise them for the good, then God will take you to very good. The relationship will get better." (24:01)
• On Self-Celebration:
  "Have you praised yourself lately? Have you taken time to pat yourself on the back and say, that was good?" (21:45)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment | |---------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:35 | Opening and message introduction | | 03:00 | The challenge of unfinished areas in life | | 04:41 | Story of the elderly woman and celebrating small steps | | 06:07 | Feeding of the 5,000: gratitude for the partial | | 07:05 | Israelites celebrate completion of the temple’s foundation (Book of Ezra) | | 08:30 | Charles Barkley & Moses Malone: achieving goals by incremental progress | | 10:01 | Jonah's gratitude before deliverance | | 11:10 | Creation story: God declares progress “good” each day | | 14:30 | Osteen's personal journey: self-celebration after first year of ministry | | 16:15 | Self-acceptance and understanding God's view of us | | 20:02 | Importance of not getting stuck focusing on what's unfinished | | 21:45 | Encouragement to compliment oneself | | 23:45 | Focusing on the good in others, especially relationships and family | | 26:22 | Invitation to be a voice of faith and strength for others |

Final Encouragement & Blessing

Joel closes with a call to action:

• Make a decision to celebrate your own partial victories and those of others.
• Find and focus on the good, being grateful for both your own progress and that of those you love.
• Trust that God will carry through and complete what He’s begun in you.

Closing Declaration:
"If you will celebrate partial victories, I believe and declare what God started in your life, he's going to finish. You're going to break bad habits, accomplish dreams and become everything he's created you to be. In Jesus name, if you receive it today, can you say Amen?" (27:45)

Takeaways

• Don’t postpone celebration or gratitude until everything is perfect.
• Thankfulness for small steps attracts greater blessing.
• Celebrate both your own and others’ progress.
• Overcome negative self-talk by embracing God’s view of you.
• Relationships flourish when focused on strengths rather than weaknesses.

Recommended Listen: For motivation to keep moving forward even when progress feels slow or incomplete.

For more messages and resources, visit JoelOsteen.com.