Created To Do Good Works | Victoria Osteen

Summary

Podcast Summary: Joel Osteen Podcast

Episode: Created To Do Good Works | Victoria Osteen

Date: December 13, 2025
Speaker: Victoria Osteen (with host Joel Osteen)
Duration of Main Content: [01:14–11:57]

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Overview

In this episode, Victoria Osteen delivers an uplifting and insightful message focused on the biblical principle that we are all created to do good works. Drawing from Ephesians 2, she encourages listeners to see their daily actions—not just grand gestures—as meaningful assignments from God. The message shifts the focus from seeking blessings through good works to recognizing how these acts are intrinsic to our purpose, spiritual growth, and preparation for greater things.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. God’s Assignment Is Already Laid Out For Us

Timestamp: 01:14–02:30

• Victoria addresses the common question: “God, what is my assignment?”, assuring listeners that God has already laid out their assignments in advance.
  • Quote:

  “God has already laid out your assignment for you. He's prearranged your assignments.” (Victoria Osteen, 01:25)

• Emphasizes the importance of moving forward in life with the understanding that God is already at work within us.

2. Understanding ‘Good Works’

Timestamp: 02:31–04:50

• Expounds on Ephesians 2: "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works."
• Clarifies that good works go beyond simple acts of kindness; being a patient parent or faithful employee are equally valuable.
  • Quote:

  “What is a good work? A good work is when you're patient. That's a good work. A good work is when you choose joy, when you choose peace, when you choose long suffering.” (Victoria Osteen, 03:33)

• Warns against thinking of good works as a way to earn God's blessing or love.
  • Quote:

  “Don’t do good works to get the blessing… The Bible says that we are saved by grace through faith. It is not of ourselves. It is a free gift.” (Victoria Osteen, 03:54)

3. Good Works as Growth and Preparation, Not Obligation

Timestamp: 04:51–07:40

• Encourages a mindset shift: good works are not merely ‘Christian duties’ but opportunities God uses to shape character and morality.
• Challenges are prearranged by God so that we can grow through them.
  • Quote:

  “You are predisposed to be able to push through and let the good work work in you.” (Victoria Osteen, 05:58)

• Obedience in these moments prepares us for greater blessings and open doors.
  • Quote:

  “He's not gonna open a door that you're not ready for. So let these good works work in you.” (Victoria Osteen, 07:20)

4. Simple Good Works Lead to Extraordinary Outcomes

Timestamp: 07:41–09:40

• Illustrates with the story of Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone: a simple invention led to revolutionary change; likewise, small daily good works can have a profound ripple effect.
  • Quote:

  “Can you imagine if Alexander Graham Bell realized what his simple invention did? ... In the same way, your simple works, good works, are going to accomplish unbelievable things on this earth.” (Victoria Osteen, 08:54)

• Listeners are reminded that transformation and influence often result from accumulated acts of faithfulness and goodness.

5. Living Out Your Calling by Doing Good Works Every Day

Timestamp: 09:41–11:57

• Encourages listeners not to undervalue the “simple things,” as consistent daily choices lead to the fulfillment of their divine assignments.
  • Quote:

  “Next time you're saying, God, what do you want me to do? What's my calling? What's my assignment? Remember this: you are walking into it... those good works that you were made to do are making you." (Victoria Osteen, 11:25)

• Concludes with reassurance that God will fulfill every promise as we walk in the assignments set before us.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Grace and Good Works:

  “You can't be good enough to get saved. You can't be rich enough to purchase your salvation. It's free.” (Victoria Osteen, 03:54)

• On the Value of Everyday Faithfulness:

  “Anything good is going to take our time and attention.” (Victoria Osteen, 09:21)

• On Assignment Fulfillment:

  "You are walking into [your calling] because those good works that you were made to do are making you and God will fulfill everything that he’s ever promised you." (Victoria Osteen, 11:25)

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Important Segment Timestamps

• 01:14 — Start of main message: Seeking God's will and understanding personal assignments
• 03:33 — Defining good works in everyday terms
• 05:58 — Overcoming challenge through God’s prearranged plans
• 08:54 — The Alexander Graham Bell analogy: small actions, big impact
• 11:25 — Final encouragement: “You are walking into [your calling]...”

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Tone & Style

The episode is warm, encouraging, light, and conversational. Victoria Osteen uses relatable, everyday examples and biblical references to make spiritual truths accessible. The delivery is practical and motivating, instilling hope and confidence in listeners to embrace the significance of simple good works.

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Summary

"Created To Do Good Works" inspires listeners to approach each day with intentionality and faith, recognizing that God’s plan unfolds through their faithful, often simple, acts of goodness. The message reassures that fulfillment doesn’t rely on striving for monumental achievements, but on a consistent lifestyle of kindness, patience, and obedience. Through these daily good works, listeners are not just doing God’s will—they are being shaped and readied for greater blessings ahead.

Transcript

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[Joel Stein (Ministry Host)]

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

[Joel Stein (Speaker/Preacher)]

If you enjoyed today's message, why don't you be a blessing and share it with a friend?

[Joel Stein (Ministry Host)]

We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life.

[Joel Stein (Speaker/Preacher)]

Hallelujah. We bless you in this place and we thank you for the power that you've given us. You know, I pray for people all the time, and they want to know the will of God for their life. You. You know, they're really looking to find their assignments from God. And I think that's a good prayer to pray because that means God is drawing you and he's working with you and he wants you to follow Him. You know, we all want to know the will of God for our life. God, what's my assignment? But can I tell you this? God has already laid out your assignment for you. He's laid it out. He's prearranged your assignments. God is already working in you. We can't wait around for our assignment to find us. We have to move out in our assignments that are laid out for us today. See, God has plans and purposes for each one of our life. In fact, he is working those plans and purposes out in us. Listen to what Ephesians 2 says. It says that we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works. See, we are God's handiwork. He is making us. He is molding us. We were created to do good works. It goes on to say which we're already prepared in advance for us to do. You see, God is working through us in our good works. You see, sometimes I think that we think good works is kind of like good deeds. We think well When I held the door open for this stranger, that was nice. Or we think, you know what? My husband has been driving me crazy lately, but I haven't yelled at him, even though he deserves it. You know, those are nice things. And I think sometimes, which are good deeds. And they are good works, in a sense, because something is working in you when you do that. But I don't want us to think that these good works are something that God's going to love me more. God, do you see what I've been doing for you? Have you ever fallen in that train of thought? I mean, I'll raise my hand, okay? I'll be the first one in here. I know nobody else is going to raise their hands. But you know what? Sometimes you think, God, I am doing all this good stuff. Where's my blessing? You know what, Lord? They're not as nice as me, but you're blessing them. You see, I want us to not look at these good works as our Christian duty. Because we're Christians, we have to do these good works. Now, first, let me say this. God is a blessing. God, he blesses obedience. He's a rewarder of those who seek after him. I'm not really talking about the blessing. I'm talking about the good works. And I don't want us to fall into the trap of if we do good works, God's going to bless us. I think he will reward us. But don't do good works to get the blessing. You see, you can't even get saved by good works. The Bible says that we are saved by grace through faith. It is not of ourselves. It is a free gift. It's free. You can't be good enough to get saved. You can't be rich enough to purchase your salvation. It's free. But I think sometimes we fall into this trap that I'm gonna do good works, God, so that you will bless me. You see, God created us to do good works. So if God created us to do good works, we know exactly what we're supposed to do. We know that we will walk in our assignment when we do the good works. What is a good work? A good work is when you're patient. That's a good work. A good work is when you choose joy, when you choose peace, when you choose long suffering, when you're a mother serving your children, when you're a husband going out every day to work. Those are good works. Because within those good works, God is working something in you. Those good works. God is working in you. When you come up Against a challenge, a person that's trying to put you down, guess what? There's a good work to be done right there and you get to choose it. But sometimes we run into these challenges and we're miserable. We think, God, why?

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Why?

[Joel Stein (Speaker/Preacher)]

You know why. Because God is saying, I've already put the DNA in you. You are predisposed to be able to push through and let the good work work in you. The good work is working in you. See, you're made to do good works. And those good works, they're making you, they're building your character, your morality value. See, there is nothing better than to come up against a challenge and be able to make it through. Because you chose the right thing. You allowed that prearranged, predetermined good work to work in you. You see, I think the greatest gift in the world that God could ever give us is a strong and fortified life living for him wholeheartedly. Do you know those good works that are working in you will make you more obedient. That obedience will then trigger the blessing of God. So I just want us to look a little differently today at good works. When you're pressed, when you're up against a challenge. Listen, the Bible says it like this, that he will set a table before the presence of your enemy, before any situation. God has already prearranged the good choice for you. He's already made a way of escape. You know, we need to know that God intended these good works to work in us so that we could fulfill our destiny, that we could walk in these assignments every single day. You see, it's not one thing that's going to make your calling. It's an everyday walking out, these good works that's going to lead you, to guide you to open doors, to places of influence, to supernatural opportunities. Because let me tell you something, God's not gonna give you anything you're gonna fail at. He's not gonna open a door that you're not ready for. So let these good works work in you. No, hey, I'm challenged. This thing is happening over here. I have a choice. I can choose to do the. You know, it's a good work for a reason. It's not a bad work. God doesn't want it to be a hard work. He wants it to be a good work. Think about that. Just a minute. What is good? It's pleasing. It's honorable in God's sight. It's pleasant. It's a good work. When you work it with God, it's something he's doing in you to set you up. Set you up for greater things. Set you up for greater things. So let's put down a struggle. Let's put down the fact that somebody's trying to get to us or trying to get in our place or get ahead of us. We don't have to do it like the world does it. We have a buffet table laid out for us. It's interesting because in. In Romans 12:2, it says this. It says, don't let evil defeat you, but defeat evil. With what? Good. With what? With good. With pleasant, pleasing, honorable things. In the sight of God you can overcome when you're willing to do the good work. The good work. You know, sometimes we think our life is so simple. We think, you know, where is that big thing? But can I encourage you that your simple things, your simple good works are so making you and accomplishing you that you're going to look up and you're going to think, God, how did I get where I am? God, how did you set me up for such an amazing thing? God, look at this family that I've produced. Because I've been patient, I've been a servant. I've long suffered. I've worked through the good things. So I produced something good in my life. You see, anything good is going to take our time and attention. I think about the first telephone. When Alexander Graham Bell invented that telephone, it was such an amazing thing. You could literally talk to someone that wasn't in the room. You. You could talk to another person at another number on the other end of another telephone. That's pretty crazy, isn't it? Not these days. Why? He thought it was amazing. He didn't know where it was going to go. But today we're not stuck to the wall. We have our telephone in our pocket. We can take pictures with our phone. We can send messages with our phone. We can get on the Internet and learn anything we want with our phone. Can you imagine if Alexander Graham Bell realized what his simple invention did? He would be astonished. It would be unbelievable to him. But it was a simple invention that accomplished great things. And in the same way, your simple works, good works, are going to accomplish unbelievable things on this earth. You can't see it now. You think it's simple. God, where is it leading me? Where is it taking me? God says, I want to make you unbelievable. I want your reach to be further than you could ever think possible. So next time you're saying, God, what do you want me to do? What's my calling? What's my assignment. Remember this. You are walking into it. You are walking into it because those good works that you were made to do are making you and God will fulfill everything that he's ever promised you. Amen. Amen. He's an awesome guy.

[Faith for Today Promoter]

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[Joel Stein (Ministry Host)]

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[Joel Stein (Speaker/Preacher)]

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[Joel Stein (Ministry Host)]

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[Faith for Today Promoter]

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[Joel Stein (Ministry Host)]

No matter what's happening around you, faith can rise up in you. Keep believing and expecting a blessed 2026. Victoria and I pray for you and your family every day. Thank you so much for your prayer and support. Your generosity is helping people around the world. As we finish this year, I hope you'll consider making a special year end gift to help keep the ministry strong. We so appreciate all the Champion of Hope partners for your monthly support. We wish you and your family a very merry Christmas till we see you next time. May the Lord bless you and keep.

[Faith for Today Promoter]

Be sure to request your copy of the 2026 Faith for Today Planner. Visit jolostein.com or call 888-567-Joel for a special year end gift. This month we are also offering the Faith to Share bundle. Keep one Give one Give the gift of faith, focus and fresh hope for someone special in your life. You can also request the God's Word Work Study Collection. This empowering collection includes the Message Parallel Bible, a beautifully crafted leather bookmark and pen, and how to read your Bible and enjoy it. Along with two planners. You can request these inspiring resources by calling 888-567-Joel or logging on to jolostein.com today. Call or click anytime 24 hours a day. Stay organized, encouraged and full of faith all year long. Request these resources today.

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