Joel Osteen Podcast
Episode: Deal With It | Joel Osteen
Date: November 27, 2025
Host: Joel Osteen
Location: Lakewood Church, Houston, TX
Episode Overview
In this episode, Joel Osteen delivers an encouraging and practical message titled "Deal With It," focusing on taking responsibility for the issues, habits, and attitudes that hold us back from living at our best and stepping into God's destiny for our lives. The core theme is about confronting challenges, being honest about areas that need growth, and embracing God's grace to overcome. Joel blends biblical stories, personal anecdotes, and uplifting exhortation, encouraging listeners to move beyond comfort to experience breakthrough, victory, and radical blessings.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. God Wants Us to Grow and Go Higher
- God is always dealing with us about something: Whether it’s a visible struggle like an addiction or something subtler like being late or having a critical spirit, we all have areas needing growth.
"God's always dealing with us about something. He's always wanting us to come to a new level. But anytime we go higher, part of our flesh has to go lower." (06:43)
- Suffering and Discipline: The “suffering” believers are to endure is not tragedy but the discomfort of saying no to wrong desires and doing what's right.
"The suffering God's talking about is saying no to our flesh… To make the right decision, we have to suffer through that period of not getting our way." (07:34)
2. The Path to Victory Is Through Discipline
- Discipline over Comfort: It's easier to give in to comfort, but choosing short-term discomfort leads to long-term victory and blessings.
"The pain of discipline is temporary, but the pain of compromise is permanent." (10:36)
- Resist Temptation and Feed the Spirit: Success comes from starving negative impulses and feeding the spirit through prayer, support, and intentional choices.
"Whatever you feed is going to grow… Take a deep breath, step back and pray. God, I'm asking you for your discipline. Then dig your heels in and walk away. You just starved the flesh and you fed the spirit." (09:36)
3. Responding to Conviction and Staying Sensitive
- God’s Conviction Is for Our Good: When we feel an inner prompting to improve, it’s God trying to bring us higher, not just a fleeting thought.
"When you feel the conviction on the inside… that's God speaking to you, wanting to bring you up higher. Don't ignore it. Don't sweep it under the rug." (11:39)
- Stay Sensitive to God’s Voice: Over time, ignoring conviction makes us numb. Pray for sensitivity and quick responsiveness.
"One of the best prayers we could ever pray is, God, help me to stay sensitive to your voice. Help me to respond to your conviction. Help me not to go against my conscience." (13:20)
4. Examples from Scripture: Lessons on Obedience and Missed Opportunity
- Abraham: Radically obeyed even when asked the unthinkable—sacrificing Isaac. His obedience released "extreme blessings".
"When you radically obey, God will radically bless." (18:36)
- Samson: Ignored discipline, failed countless warnings, and suffered great loss.
- Saul: Couldn’t let go of jealousy despite many chances; died unfulfilled.
- Gehazi: Missed out on God's anointing because he refused to let God mold him.
"What we don't know is how many times God had dealt with Gehazi, telling him, come on, Gehazi, you got to change... Again and again, Gehazi refused." (21:53)
5. Stepping Into Seasons of Grace
- Act Promptly During Seasons of Grace: There are windows of opportunity—divine seasons—when breaking free is easier if we act in alignment with God’s prompting.
"There are seasons of grace to break what's holding you back... When you feel God bringing that to light, this is your time." (15:55)
- Delaying Obedience Makes Change Harder: Waiting often means going "around the same mountain"—missing out on God's best.
6. Don’t Settle for Partial Victory—Fight for Your Destiny
- David and Jerusalem: David refused to live with a constant reminder of what should have been. He humbled himself (literally going through the city’s sewer system!) to conquer the enemy and possess the promise.
"David was saying, in order to take this city, I'm willing to humble myself and get on my knees and do whatever I have to do to get this victory." (24:27)
- How Bad Do You Want It? Willingness to be uncomfortable, to pray, to humble oneself, is key to victory.
7. Encouragement for Radical Obedience and Breakthrough
- Do What You Can, God Will Do the Rest: God provides the power, but we must provide the willingness and take necessary steps.
"God is not going to do for you what you can do for yourself. You got to dig your heels in and be disciplined." (14:25)
- Breakthrough Declared: Joel prophesies strength, victory, and breakthrough for those who choose to “deal with it” and obey God.
"I speak strength over you. I speak victory over you. I speak breakthroughs over you. Some of you have struggled in an area for a long time, but let me announce it: Today is a breakthrough day." (27:47)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Discipline vs. Compromise:
"The pain of discipline is temporary, but the pain of compromise is permanent." (10:36)
- On God’s Grace for Change:
"There are seasons of grace to break what's holding you back... When you feel God bringing that to light, this is your time." (15:55)
- On Obedience and Blessing:
"With every act of obedience, there is a blessing tied to it." (18:13)
- Encouragement for Listeners:
"You and God are a majority now. I'm not looking at Gehazi's. I'm not looking at Samson nor Saul's. I'm looking at Abraham's. I'm looking at David's. People that are extremely obedient." (28:39)
- Breakthrough Proclamation:
"Let me announce it: Today is a breakthrough day. The enemies we've seen in the past, we will see no more. God is doing a new thing. The Ram is coming up the mountain." (28:04)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Opening & Bible Confession: 02:00 – 03:00
- Initial Framing: “Dealing With It” 03:01 – 06:43
- The Suffering of Saying No to the Flesh: 06:44 – 09:35
- Starving the Flesh, Feeding the Spirit: 09:36 – 11:39
- Stuck in a Rut / Ignoring Conviction: 11:40 – 13:19
- Prayer for Sensitivity to God: 13:20 – 14:25
- Responsibility and Radical Obedience: 14:26 – 18:36
- Seasons of Grace Story: 15:00 – 16:30
- Biblical Examples (Abraham, Samson, Saul, Gehazi): 18:37 – 22:35
- David’s Conquest of Jerusalem: 22:36 – 25:15
- Fight for Your Destiny / Refusing Mediocrity: 25:16 – 28:00
- Closing Blessing and Breakthrough Declaration: 27:47 – 28:57
Conclusion & Call to Action
Joel calls listeners to radical obedience, assuring them that responding to God’s conviction, no matter how uncomfortable, unlocks blessing and breakthrough. He encourages self-examination, honest prayer, and humble dependence on God’s power to overcome.
Final Proclamation:
"Because of your radical obedience. I believe and declare. You're going to see God's radical favor, radical blessings, radical turnarounds. In Jesus name. If you receive it, can you say Amen today?" (29:00)
This episode serves as a motivational charge to confront what holds you back, embrace God’s promptings, and step into His best for your life. Joel’s trademark hopeful, energetic, and faith-filled delivery makes this message both practical and empowering for anyone wanting to move from mediocrity to extraordinary living through spiritual discipline and trust in God’s enabling grace.