Fight Fear And Discouragement With The Word Of God | Victoria Osteen

Summary

Joel Osteen Podcast: “Fight Fear And Discouragement With The Word Of God” Featuring Victoria Osteen

Released on February 8, 2025

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Introduction

In this inspiring episode of the Joel Osteen Podcast, host Joel Osteen and his wife Victoria delve deep into the pervasive issues of fear and discouragement that often hinder individuals from achieving their God-given destinies. Through engaging discussions and biblical insights, they offer listeners practical strategies to overcome these emotional barriers by harnessing the power of the Word of God.

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Main Message: Overcoming Fear and Discouragement with God's Word

Victoria Osteen opens the episode with a heartfelt message emphasizing the importance of transcending fear and discouragement to fulfill one's divine purpose. She draws from the biblical narrative of Joshua, illustrating how God's instructions were pivotal in guiding Joshua to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land.

Victoria Osteen [08:39]: "God has already reserved a seat for you. He's already carved out places for you. He's already reserved territories for you to conquer and for you to occupy."

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Biblical Insights: Joshua's Call to Courage

The discussion delves into Joshua 1, where God commands Joshua to be strong and courageous as he prepares to lead the Israelites. Victoria breaks down God's message, highlighting that the true adversaries are not the external giants or nations but the internal fears and discouragements that can cripple one's progress.

Victoria Osteen [02:15]: "Joshua, don't identify with fear. Don't let it become part of your identity. Don't let discouragement define you."

She elaborates on how fear often masquerades as various obstacles—be it personal relationships, financial struggles, or self-doubt—but at its core, it's the enemy's tactic to prevent individuals from reaching their full potential.

Victoria Osteen [04:50]: "Fear always raises its head as lack. Not enough. I'm not enough. I don't have enough."

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Practical Applications: Fighting Fear with Faith

Victoria provides actionable steps for listeners to combat fear and discouragement:

1. Recognize and Acknowledge Fear: Understand that fear is the root cause of many challenges and obstacles in life.

2. Reject Fearful Identities: Refuse to see oneself as a victim of circumstances or limitations imposed by fear.

3. Embrace God’s Promises: Anchor oneself in the Word of God, using scripture as a weapon against negative emotions.

Victoria Osteen [07:20]: "Fight fear and discouragement with the word of God. When you take hold of His word, you chase discouragement and fear off."

She emphasizes the transformative power of meditating on God's promises, allowing them to penetrate deeply into one's mindset and spirit.

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Introducing "Pray Bold": A Call to Expanded Faith

Transitioning from the discussion on fear, Victoria introduces her new book, “Pray Bold”, co-authored with Joel Osteen. The book challenges readers to escalate their prayers beyond the mundane, encouraging them to believe in and ask for the extraordinary things God has placed in their hearts.

Victoria Osteen [11:30]: "If you only pray small, ordinary prayers, you'll live a small, ordinary life."

Joel further reinforces this message by sharing personal anecdotes and testimonials that illustrate the profound impact of bold prayer.

Joel Osteen [12:15]: "When we pray, we can tap into God's creative awesome power, something bigger than we have ever imagined."

The couple offers listeners an opportunity to receive a complimentary copy of “Pray Bold”, aiming to inspire them to expand their faith and witness God's miraculous works in their lives.

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Conclusion: Embracing a Fearless Future

As the episode draws to a close, Victoria and Joel provide words of encouragement, urging listeners to embrace their God-ordained destinies without fear or hesitation. They remind the audience of God's unwavering presence and support, reinforcing the episode's central theme of overcoming internal obstacles through faith.

Victoria Osteen [13:13]: "When you pray these bold prayers, you're going to see the goodness of God in ways you've never seen."

Joel concludes by inviting listeners to explore further spiritual growth through additional resources and upcoming services, fostering a sense of community and continuous support.

Joel Osteen [15:25]: "Be sure to request your copy of Pray Bold today, visit joelosteen.com or call us toll free."

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Key Takeaways

• Identify and Combat Fear: Recognize fear as the primary enemy that instills discouragement and hinders progress.

• Ground Yourself in Scripture: Utilize the Word of God as a foundational tool to dispel fear and reinforce courage.

• Pray Boldly: Move beyond ordinary prayers to seek and believe in the extraordinary, aligning with God's grand plans for your life.

• Embrace God's Promises: Trust in God's promises and His unwavering support to navigate life's challenges and achieve your dreams.

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This episode serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative power of faith and the importance of confronting inner fears with the strength derived from God's word. Whether you're seeking personal growth, spiritual enlightenment, or practical advice to overcome life's hurdles, Victoria and Joel Osteen offer valuable insights and encouragement to help you live your best life.

Transcript

[Sly Stone]

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[Joel Osteen]

In the Family Stone. It can't be overstated how popular they were.

[Sly Stone]

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[Hailee Steinfeld]

Is there anything you can't do?

[Sly Stone]

Um, actually, I don't have a good singing voice. Ahem. The ups? Nope. But our certified packing experts can pack and ship just about anything.

[Hailee Steinfeld]

At least that's good.

[UPS Store Representative]

The UPS store be unstoppable. Most locations are independently owned. Products, services, pricing and hours of operation may vary. See center for details. Come in today to get your holiday goodies there on time.

[Joel Osteen]

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[Victoria Osteen]

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

[Ministry Speaker]

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

[Victoria Osteen]

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

[Ministry Speaker]

How many of you, like me, want to go from just knowing the promises of God to to walking into the promises of God? It's one thing to know something. It's another thing to use what you know to get where you need to be. You see, God has already reserved a seat for you. He's already carved out places for you. He's already reserved territories for you to conquer and for you to occupy. But we know that that God has things for us. That's a promise. But how we get to that promise is up to us. God was speaking to Joshua. He was telling him, joshua, I have a place that I want you to go. But there's Going to be two enemies that you're going to face. Now, you all know the story. Joshua and Moses were brought out of captivity and were being transformed or are being journeyed to the promised land. So they came out of captivity, but they wandered in the desert. So they came out of something, but they never fully got to where God had promised them. So it was Joshua's turn. Moses had died, and Joshua was standing in a place that he had stood before. Again, God spoke to Joshua and he said, joshua, I want you to listen carefully to my instructions. I want you to listen carefully. There's two enemies that you're going to face. Listen to what he said in Joshua 1. He said, Joshua, be strong and courageous. Then he went on to say, do not be afraid and do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Okay? He broke it down for Joshua. He said, joshua, this is what you need to be strong and courageous. He said, joshua, this is what you don't need to be afraid and discouraged. See, God made it clear, Joshua, I'm taking you to a place that you're going to occupy, but you can't be afraid and discouraged. God wasn't making a simple suggestion. He wasn't saying, now, don't be afraid. Don't be discouraged. Be strong. No, God commanded Joshua. He said, have I not commanded you? Have I not commanded you? Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. You know, he didn't say, joshua, don't feel discouragement. Don't feel fear. What he was saying was, joshua, don't identify with fear. Don't let it become part of your identity. Don't let discouragement define you. He was saying, don't hang around with fear and discouragement long, he says, because you're going places. See, so many times, you know, we think, wow, these giants. They saw these giants. He was saying, it's not the giants. It's not the Hittites. It's not the Canaanites. It's not the Jebusites. It's not even the cellulites that you need to be afraid of. He said, joshua, your biggest enemy is fear and discouragement. Fear and discouragement. You know, sometimes when we feel fear, we entertain it. Fear causes us to be discouraged. And if you hang around with fear and discouragement long enough, it's interesting how you can wrap it in a circumstance. This is the reason this is happening to me. We can literally take fear and we can make it such an excuse that we can literally put a face to it. We can name it, see it's Sarah in the office. That's why I can't get ahead. It's my husband. He's been pushing me down. He won't let me blossom. I'm not as talented as other people. That's why I'm not where I should be. It's my finances, man. If I had more finances, I could do so much more. You see, we create scenarios and situations, but at the root of every one of these is fear. And fear causes discouragement. And discouragement causes us to be tormented. It causes us to sit down instead of move forward. See, we cannot let fear be an excuse for our life. God has already given us the promise. He's already said, here's the promise. It's optional if you're going to get there. And he's saying, your enemies are fear and discouragement. You know, I was talking to a girl the other day, and she said, I'm in this ministry, but it just seems like that, you know what? No one will let me do what I want to do. And, you know, it's hard for me. I feel it difficult. I'm just going to quit. I have seen so many people quit, give up a position because of people. The first time that I ever spoke in church, I was afraid. I was scared. I wrapped that up in an excuse. I became discouraged. I remember it's Sunday again. It was like a black cloud was following me around. I named it. I got in agreement with it. I was miserable. Then I realized, you know what? It's fear. It's fear. It's wrapped up in all these other things. But it's fear that is the root of why I'm miserable. And, you know, you think about it, we've gotta recognize fear and discouragement. And we have to unwrap it for what it is. See, it was the enemy trying to steal my destiny. And can I tell you, he's gonna try to stop what God has started in your life any way he can. He'll use temple. He'll use circumstances. He'll make it look like something else. But at the root of it all, it is fear. Fear always raises its head as lack. Not enough. I'm not enough. I don't have enough. There is lack in this situation. That's why I can't do it. It's always based out of lack and not enough, not good enough, not having enough. Listen, do you feel discouraged sometimes? What are you fearful of? That is the enemy's way of stopping. You see, too often we're fighting people. We're fighting our Circumstances. And God is saying, don't fight people. Fight fear and discouragement. Listen, don't let anything or anybody rob you of your destiny. Don't let people steal your future. See, God told Joshua what he should be. He should be strong and courageous. Told him what he shouldn't be. Don't be fearful. Don't get discouraged. And then he told him how to do it. He said, joshua, you're going to fight fear and discouragement one way and one way only is when you take hold of my word, when you get it out of your mouth, when you chase discouragement and fear off with what I say. When you get it into your thinking and you become. You meditate on it and you let it drop down in the very depths of who you are. See, God didn't leave the building because you're facing a hard time. You're facing people who are difficult. He said, I will be with you when. Wherever you go. And if God will fight Joshua's battles, God will fight your battles, too. See, it was not the fact that they were going to starve in the wilderness, thirst to death in the wilderness, get blocked by the enemy. We know that God opened the Red Sea. He struck water out of a rock. God turned things. He let quail come into the camp so that they could eat. See, that wasn't a problem. The resources, the battles weren't a problem. God said, don't worry about all this stuff. You fight fear and discouragement with the word of God. Because I'll be with you everywhere you go. I'm not going to leave you. I'm not going to forsake you. I love what it says in one version. I'll never give up on you, even when you're feeling fearful, even when you're feeling discouraged. Hey, that's not enough to make me give up on you. I'll be there wherever you go. My promises are true. How you get there is optional. If you'll fight fear and discouragement, you too will get to your promised land. Amen. Amen.

[Victoria Osteen]

When was the last time you asked God to do something that seemed impossible? If you only pray small, ordinary prayers, you'll live a small, ordinary life. I have a new book called Pray Bold. I'll challenge you to stretch your faith and believe for the big things God puts in your heart. Victoria and I used to have season tickets to watch the Rockets play basketball here. We never dreamed it could be ours. But when they moved out, somehow we had the faith to pray a bold prayer. God made things happen that we could never make happen. It's the same for you. Who knows what God will do in your life if you'll dare to pray bold? Ask him for your dreams. Ask for your healing. Ask for your freedom. That's when God will show up and do more than you could ever imagine.

[Joel Osteen]

As our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount this month we would like to send you a copy of Joel's brand new book Pray Bold. Dare to Ask and Believe Big. Joel shares that when we pray, we can tap into God's creative awesome power, something bigger than we have ever imagined. God doesn't want us to just pray in our comfort zones. No. God loves when we pray big. Believe big. Expect him to do the unexpected. There are inspiring stories from the Bible, from history, and personal test testimonies of people who dared to believe God in extraordinary ways. You'll learn how to practically expand your prayers and watch your life move from the common to the extraordinary, from less than to overflowing. Be sure to request your copy of Pray bold today. Visit joelowstein.com or call us toll free.

[Victoria Osteen]

God has put dreams in your heart and things he's whispered in the night that seem impossible. But but. As you pray these bold prayers, you're going to see the goodness of God in ways you've never seen. Victoria and I are believing you're going to have a great 2025. We pray for you and your family every day for God's very best. We want to thank you for your prayer and your support. You're impacting people all over the world.

[Joel Osteen]

Be sure to request your copy of Pray bold today, visit jolostein.com or call us toll free. Finally, elevate your personal time with God by requesting the My Time With God collection. This beautiful collection contains the Pray Bold new release plus the new Living Translation, one year chronological Study Bible and a beautiful glass mug and throw blanket based around the inspiring scripture from Psalm 4610. Be still and know that I am God. You can learn more about this unique new gift collection by calling 888-567-JOEL or logging on to jolostein.com today.

[Victoria Osteen]

Remember, you can watch the services online every Sunday morning, download our daily podcast, listen on SiriusXM, watch on YouTube, and now the new Joel Osteen Network streaming on television 24 hours a day. If you've never been to Lakewood, we have a great opportunity. We we call it Homecoming Weekend. We 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 homecoming weekend.

[Sly Stone]

At the UPS store. We know things can get busy this upcoming holiday. You can count on us to be open and ready to help with any packing and shipping or anything else you might need.

[Hailee Steinfeld]

Is there anything you can't do?

[Sly Stone]

Actually, I don't have a good singing voice. The ups? Nope. But our certified packing experts can pack and ship just about anything.

[Hailee Steinfeld]

At least that's good.

[UPS Store Representative]

The UPS Store be unstoppable. Most locations are independently owned. Products, services, pricing and hours of operation may vary. See center for details. Come in today to get your holiday goodies there on time.

[Joel Osteen]

I see you looking, looking at me.

[Hailee Steinfeld]

Hey, loves, Hailee Steinfeld here. Let's be real. When I'm on the red carpet, everyone wants to know whose dress I'm wearing. But here's the thing. We're so focused on those details, we're missing something that's actually way more important. Breast health.

[Ministry Speaker]

It's wild.

[Hailee Steinfeld]

Breasts get so much attention, but they're still so ignored when it matters most. Don't know what I'm talking about? Tune in on February 9th and visit YourAttentionPlease.com that's YourAttentionPlease.com. see you then.

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